by Ryk Brown
“Sounds like an organized advance to me,” Effrin remarked.
“It isn’t a hunting party, that’s for sure.”
“We’re on our way out,” Effrin assured Mori. “We’ll have your six in thirty seconds.”
Josh continued studying the display as the four pairs of contacts spread out even further, continuing to advance. “One fifty, still closing. Outer pairs are spreading out to the sides. Middle pairs are staying the same distance apart.”
“We need to take them outside of the cave,” Mori announced over comms. “I’m going right.”
“I’m going left,” Jokay followed.
“We’ll go up the middle and force an engagement fifty meters out,” Effrin told them.
“What the hell’s going on?” Marcus asked, coming up the stair ladder behind Dylan.
“Visitors,” Josh replied. “Ghatazhak are going out to say hello.” Josh turned to Marcus, who was only halfway up the stair ladder. “I told you to man the nose gun!”
“I’m going! I’m going!” Marcus grumbled, heading back down the stair ladder.
Dylan moved past Josh, going to the copilot’s seat. “They know not to kill them, right?”
“Of course,” Josh snapped. He pressed the comms transmit button. “You guys know not to kill them, right?”
* * *
The city of Klyuchi was larger than Nathan had expected. Like many of the more remote cities and towns on Earth, it had managed to survive the Jung invasion and the subsequent battle for its liberation nearly eight years ago. Very little of it appeared to be newly built or renovated. In fact, although still in good repair, it seemed a century old.
Nevertheless, he could see why the residents might like Klyuchi. Unlike so many of the cities and worlds he had visited, this place was not yet saturated with technology. It was there, but it was well integrated into their society. If you ignored the subtle signs of technology, one could imagine living in a time before the Ark had been discovered, and the devices of their ancestors had come flooding in.
Kit pulled the vehicle to a stop at a small park with a statue at its center, surrounded by a cluster of official-looking buildings. “This looks like the city center,” he announced.
Vladimir climbed out of the vehicle, looking around to get his bearings.
“Where should we start?” Nathan wondered, also climbing out of the vehicle. “Are we just going to ask people if they know Aleksi Rusayev?”
“We could go into the tavern over there,” Jessica suggested, pointing. “Start asking about.”
“No one would speak with you unless you drank with them.” Vladimir insisted.
“Oh they’ll speak to me,” Jessica boasted.
“Not unless you drink with them,” Vladimir told her.
“Fine, so I’ll have a few drinks with them.”
“You do not want to get into a drinking contest with these people,” Vladimir insisted. “Trust me.”
“Well what are we going to do?” Nathan asked.
“When I came to visit Aleksi, the bus dropped me off here, at the center of Klyuchi. Aleksi’s home was to the east. A few kilometers at least. I believe I can find it.”
“Sounds as good a place to start as any,” Nathan decided, climbing back into the vehicle.
* * *
Three Ghatazhak, in cold weather gear and carrying specialized energy rifles, moved swiftly from the mouth of the massive cavern. With skill and precision, the men moved from one concealed firing position to the next as they advanced toward the approaching threat.
Effrin Grimard, the most senior of the three Ghatazhak who had joined the Voss’s crew for this mission, led the way as each man took turns advancing.
“The two side pairs dropped off sensors,” Josh informed them over comms. “They’re probably beyond the sides of the cave mouth and outside of her beam width.”
Effrin ran in a crouch, weapon at the ready, across the open, snow-covered ground, moving to an outcropping of rocks sticking up through the blanket of snow. “We are in position, concealed,” he announced, looking to either side to check on the position of the other two Ghatazhak.
“Copy that,” Mori replied over comms. “Two in sight.”
Mori moved quickly through the woods, double-timing it from one concealment position to the next. Rocks, trees, snow-covered berms; all were used to remain hidden from those he meant to intercept.
Finally, he stopped, taking position behind the root end of an old fallen tree. He peeked around the twisted root ball, spotting two men in white snowsuits designed to make them blend in with the snowy landscape. Both were carrying projectile assault weapons and large knives on their hips. The men were attempting to get into their own firing positions, hoping to provide cover fire for their cohorts approaching the cavern from the center.
Mori carefully threaded his rifle through the entangled roots of the fallen tree before him, moving slowly so as not to attract the attention of his targets. Once in position, he activated his scope, placing his crosshairs on the man to the left. He waited several seconds, timing the man’s steps and body motion to place the shot perfectly. It was not necessary, since the stun setting on his weapon would work equally well regardless of where it hit, as long as it hit the target’s torso.
Mori pressed the trigger, sending the first shot off with a zing. He immediately shifted slightly right, putting his crosshairs on the next target and firing again, all before the first man hit the ground.
Jokay had two targets of his own in his scope, firing twice the moment he heard the report of Mori’s shots in the distance. Both men in his scope dropped, motionless in the snow.
Jokay quickly rose and ran over to the stunned men, deftly picking up their weapons. In a smooth, practiced motion, he removed the magazine from the first weapon and ejected its chambered round, letting the round drop into the snow at his feet. He tossed the magazine into the woods, then repeated the process for the second rifle.
Confident the men were no longer a threat, Jokay checked them both to ensure they were still alive and then proceeded to bind their hands and legs.
“Two pairs still coming up the middle,” Josh reported over comms.
“Two down, securing them now,” Jokay announced over his comm-set.
Mori quickly moved in on the two downed men, discovering that one of them was still conscious and fumbling with his weapon. The man clumsily attempted to point his weapon at his assailant but was having difficulty controlling his hands.
“Bad idea,” Mori told the man, pointing his weapon at him.
The partially stunned man dropped his own weapon, showing his hands and surrendering.
Mori quickly collected the weapons and began unloading them, rendering them harmless.
“Who are you?” the man asked, his hands trembling sporadically, but still held up in a show of surrender. “What are you doing out here?”
Mori ignored him, binding the man’s feet.
“I am injured. I am bleeding.”
Mori pulled away the man’s torn pant leg, spotting a large, deep gash in his leg. “You’ll be fine,” he told him, as he bound his hands and then moved to restrain the other, unconscious man.
“You cannot leave me here,” the man protested. “I will bleed out.”
“I thought you Russians were supposed to be tough?” Mori said as he finished binding the second man’s hands. “Besides, you’re not bleeding that badly.” Mori reached into his thigh pocket and pulled out a small med-kit. From it, he pulled a spray bottle, gave it a shake, and then sprayed its contents on the open gash on the man’s leg.
“What is that?”
“Nanites,” Mori replied as he put the bottle back in the kit. “You should heal up in a few hours.”
“Nanites do not work that fast,” the man insisted.
“These
ones do,” Mori replied, rising to depart.
“Wait,” the man pleaded. “You cannot leave me here. I will freeze to death.”
“That part might be true,” Mori replied as he pointed his weapon at the injured man and fired again, this time stunning him completely. Mori tapped the side of his comm-set. “Two secure. Moving to next intercept position,” he reported as he headed further out into the woods.
Effrin crouched down behind a large boulder with a section of an old decaying tree trunk lying over it. From his position, he could see the four men approaching: one pair to the right and one to the left. All four of them were dressed in white snow gear and were carrying projectile assault weapons. “Stop where you are or we will fire!” he yelled out at the approaching men.
The four advancing men scrambled for cover, looking around but still not spotting the source of the warning cry.
After a few seconds, one of the men yelled. “Who are you?”
“Who we are is not your concern!” Effrin yelled back. “Retreat or you will be fired upon! There will be no further warnings!”
“These are our woods! No one orders us to leave our woods!”
Effrin rolled his eyes. “As you wish!”
Four blaster shots were heard, two from the right and two from the left. Effrin peered over the tree trunk, just in time to see the men fall face-first into the snow. “Took you long enough,” he said over comm-sets as he stood.
* * *
Nathan, Jessica, and Kit stood on the street next to the rover, staring at the unimpressive home. Like all the homes on the street, it was mostly shrouded by overgrown shrubs and well-placed fences. While the landscape was not precisely manicured, it was apparent that someone still lived there.
Vladimir came back through the front gate, carefully closing it behind him before joining his cohorts. “He does not live here.”
“Are you sure this is the right place?” Jessica asked.
“I am certain.”
“How do you know he doesn’t live here?” Jessica challenged.
“Because the lady who answered the door said he did not. She also said she has owned this house for three years.”
“Did she say where the original owner went?” Nathan asked.
“She bought it through a broker. She never met the seller,” Vladimir explained.
“You think she was telling the truth?” Nathan asked.
“I believe so.”
“I guess my bar idea is starting to look better,” Jessica decided.
“Maybe if we ask a few of the neighbors?” Vladimir suggested. “Perhaps they know where Aleksi moved to.”
“We’re running out of daylight,” Nathan said, looking up at the overcast sky. “I’d like to avoid navigating those mountain roads in the dark, especially if it starts snowing. We can return first thing in the morning and spend the whole day looking for Rusayev.”
* * *
“Jump eighty-seven, complete,” Ensign Lassen reported from the Falcon’s copilot seat.
“This is a proverbial needle-in-a-haystack search,” Sergeant Nama complained from the sensor station directly behind the pilot’s seat.
“More like a glowing needle-in-a-haystack,” Lieutenant Teison corrected.
“Negative scans,” the sergeant reported.
“Jump eighty-eight, coming up,” Ensign Lassen announced, tiring of the monotony.
“Why can’t they just use recon drones for this kind of crap?” Sergeant Nama complained.
“You know we’ve got better sensors than the drones do, Riko,” the lieutenant replied.
“Then they need to put better sensors into those things.”
“Jump eighty-eight, complete.”
Sergeant Nama sighed. “Scanning.”
* * *
Eight unconscious men sat on the deck of the Voss’s utility bay, propped up unceremoniously against the forward bulkhead and each other. Their snowsuits had been removed, as had the body armor they had been wearing underneath them.
Mori knelt down in front of the first man in line, pressing a pneumo-ject into the man’s neck and activating it. He studied the man’s face, waiting for signs of a response. After a moment, the man’s eyes began to open.
“He’s coming around,” Mori said, standing.
The man looked around, struggling to focus. He tried to move his hands and feet, but they didn’t seem to be functioning properly. Eventually, he stopped struggling and just glared at the man standing before him. “Where am I? Who are you?”
“You’re safe for now,” Jokay assured him.
“Release me,” the man insisted, growing impatient.
“In good time.”
The man looked at Mori and Effrin, noticing their similar dress. “Who are you people?” he asked calmly. “Where is this place? Are we inside Papiva?”
“That depends,” Jokay replied. “What is a Papiva?”
The man eyed his captor with suspicion. “The great cavern. It is called Papiva. How can you be here and not know this?”
“Why did you and your men come to Papiva?”
“We are hunters,” the man said, leaning his head back against the bulkhead. “We hunt bear.”
“With heavy assault rifles?”
“Big bears.”
“Every one of you had four fully loaded fifty-round magazines,” Jokay reminded the man. “That’s one hundred rounds each, for a total of eight hundred rounds. All for hunting bears?”
The man smiled more broadly. “Many bears.”
“And you were all wearing body armor under your snowsuits.”
The man shrugged. “Russian bears have big claws.”
“Right.” Jokay pulled up a chair and sat down in front of the man. “I am Jokay Deeks. What should I call you?”
The man smiled again. “Bear Hunter.”
Jokay chuckled to himself. “Okay, Mister Hunter, answer me this. Why were eight heavily armed men closing on Papiva cavern line-abreast, in pairs, using cover-and-advance tactics?”
The man smiled again, finding his own sarcastic responses entertaining. “We are very good bear hunters.”
“Except when the bears are armed,” Mori chuckled.
“You will awaken my men.”
“Again, in good time,” Jokay replied. “First I need to know why you were advancing on our position with obvious ill intent. How did you know we were here?”
“We did not,” the man replied with a shrug. “We expected bears.”
“This is going nowhere,” Mori decided. “Let’s just dump them in the snow and be done with them.”
“More will follow,” the man insisted.
“We don’t even know who they are,” Effrin added.
“He just told us,” Jokay corrected. “They’re bear hunters, and their leader’s name, by an amazing coincidence, is Bear Hunter.”
The man sighed, leaning his head back again. “An old man reported a sudden flash of light from Papiva Cavern, followed by a shock wave. My friends and I came to investigate.”
“The guy has a lot of friends,” Mori commented.
“A flash of light?” Jokay wondered. “You came to investigate a flash of light? With eight armed men?”
The man smiled again, sensing another opportunity for sarcasm. “Russian bears are very dangerous, and they…like…caves.”
“I’m pretty sure you and your fellow hunters expected something other than bears.”
“If we did, then we were right.”
Jokay thought for a moment. “Who is it you think we are?”
“I do not know, but to have this kind of facility inside a mountain, far from civilization? It raises questions, yes?”
“We’re wasting our time here,” Mori insisted. “The guy won’t even tell us his name, let alone who s
ent him.”
“Did anyone even ask him?” Effrin questioned.
Jokay sighed. “Do you work for the Earth Defense Force?”
“I told you…we…hunt…bears.”
“Let’s just stun him and wake up the next guy,” Mori suggested. “Sooner or later, one of them will tell us what we want to know.”
The man suddenly became uneasy. “They will tell you nothing.”
“Oh that wiped the smile off his face,” Mori realized. “Let’s do it. I’m tired of this guy’s smart-ass answers anyway.”
Marcus stepped through the forward hatch, passing between the two groups of prisoners. “You find out who they are yet?”
“He’s not exactly being cooperative,” Effrin replied.
“What a shocker,” Marcus grumbled as he headed aft toward the cargo ramp controls. He pressed a button, and the pressure shield snapped on.
The man’s eyes widened, surprised by the glowing, pale blue, semi-opaque wall of light that had just materialized across the opposite end of the bay.
“What are you doing?” Mori asked Marcus.
“The away team is back,” Marcus replied as he activated the cargo ramp to start its deployment cycle.
The man watched with curiosity and concern as the massive ramp cracked open along the top edge and began lowering out and away from the bay. “What is this place?” he asked as he watched the ramp deploy. His eyes suddenly grew wider as he spotted the walls of the cavern outside. “Why is it not cold in here?” he wondered, realizing that there was no rush of cold air coming in from outside.
“Magic,” Marcus grumbled.
The cargo ramp hit the floor of the cave with a thud, kicking up dust. A moment later, a six-wheeled, all-terrain vehicle rolled up into the bay, its headlights shining in the man’s eyes.
The man squinted from the rover’s lights. “Who are you people?” he asked when the lights shut off. He watched as three men and a woman, all clad in cold-weather gear, climbed out of the rover.
Jessica walked over to Jokay and Mori as she removed her coat. “You guys having a party?”
“A couple of hours ago, these guys approached the mouth of the cavern,” Effrin explained. “They advanced in pairs, line abreast. They were heavily armed and wearing body armor. We ordered them to retreat, but they did not comply.”