Kali's Children (Kali Trilogy Book 1)

by Craig Allen

  Anne shook her head. “Fine time for games.”

  “I don’t think it’s a game,” Sonja said. “I think he’s trying to figure out how close he can get before the little guys spot him.”

  “Will the creatures down there see through the camouflage?” Cody asked.

  “If the little guys can, then I’m sure the big ones can, too,” Bodin said.

  A notification lit up on Cody’s HUD. The collective computing power of their AIs had finished organizing the telemetry from the skeeters. At that notification, Deveau walked toward Sonja to plan the “op,” as Bodin called it. The beetles followed him like a pack of puppies.

  ~~~

  Half an hour later, everyone gathered at a level area near the saddle where they had camped the night before. The beetles joined them while the fliers towered behind everyone else.

  Sonja pulled what looked like a rolled-up sheet of paper out of her pack. It wasn’t paper, though, but some sort of metallic alloy. The thin sheet lay flat on the ground without curling at the corners. She touched it, and a holographic display came to life, showing the entire encampment of the toad creatures, including the hills around it, the pits, and the hopper on the east edge. The fliers fluttered their wings gently at the sight.

  “Toad town,” Bodin said.

  Sonja shrugged. “Good enough name.”

  A red dot marked the northern artificial mound, the suspected location of the Kali. Everything else, Cody recognized, from the hills to the west, the cliff to the south, and the hopper sitting in the middle of the open area to the east. The pool of water and pits were in the same place as Cody remembered. The map even marked the dish trees and the red reeds.

  Bodin tapped the pool of water on the map. “Water source?”

  Deveau touched that portion of the display, and text appeared above it. Cody pulled it up on his own HUD to read it as Deveau spoke. “Telemetry from the skeeters indicates it’s stagnant. It also contains what looks like worms. Doctor, what do you make of it?”

  Cody shook his head. “Maybe it is a water source, and the fact that it’s stagnant doesn’t affect them.”

  “Whatever it is, it’s not important.” Sonja gestured for the fliers to look at the map. “Does this look like their village to you?”

  They looked at her then each other. Cody’s HUD indicated that magnetic activity increased among them. After a moment, they bobbed their heads, not taking their eyes off the holographic map.

  “Good.” She straightened and regarded everyone. “No CEOI this time around. We have civilians involved.” Sonja nodded at Cody and the fliers, while pointing at the beetles at the same time. “We need to keep comm chatter as simple as we can. The risk of eavesdropping is minimal anyway, so there’s little reason to speak in code. Major?”

  Cody was about to ask what CEOI was, but Deveau spoke. “The situation is we have friendlies inside the village. Further, there are eight different species within the town aside from the, uh, toads. We are considering the toads as hostiles. All others are assumed to be under duress from the toads and are considered civilians.”

  “So we only shoot toads, Major?” Bodin asked.

  “Negative,” Deveau said. “It’s possible they may want to surrender. We need to give them that opportunity.”

  “Sir,” Anne said. “How do we tell them to give up?”

  “Good question,” Deveau said. “For starters, we need to establish dominance within the area.” He pointed to the beetles gathering around the map. “They will be splitting into groups, one with each team. They will facilitate communication.”

  “Uh, Major,” Cody said. “They seem to have a collective intelligence. If we split them up into groups that are too small, they may no longer have the intelligence to function properly.”

  Deveau nodded. “I’ve considered that, Doctor. I’ve discussed it with them, and they seem to be willing to divide up into two groups.”

  A handful of the beetles formed up into a single word.

  Yes.

  “They will communicate to the toad creatures to stand down,” Deveau said. “If they fail to comply, give them a warning shot if possible. If not, take them down.”

  “So shoot at their feet,” Bodin said, “and if that doesn’t do the trick, shoot at them. Right, sir?”

  “Something like that, Sergeant,” Deveau said. “If there’s no choice, hostiles should be taken down with deadly force.”

  Deveau gestured to the map. “Our objective is threefold.” He pointed at a spot surrounded by a circle on the map. “First, we need to determine the status of the hopper’s power supply and see if we can get a signal to the bridge-sat from there.”

  “Skeeters indicate there are no significant power signatures,” Sonja said, “so we may be out of luck there.”

  “True,” Deveau said. “However, it’s possible some fusion batteries are still present and may give us enough power to squawk for a few minutes, so it’s worth a shot. If the hopper is inoperable, we’ll destroy it as a diversion for our second objective.”

  “Major,” Anne said. “What about the vines covering it?”

  “What about them?” Deveau asked.

  “If they’re smart like everything else, are we sure we want to nuke it? What if they’re friendly?”

  “That’s a good point, Salyard.” Deveau looked at everyone. “Solutions?”

  Cody pursed his lips. “Well, they don’t exhibit the characteristic red of other species. It’s possible they’re dead.”

  Deveau nodded. “We’ll confirm that when we reach the hopper. If they appear to be alive, we’ll simply ignite a cherry somewhere else as a diversion.” He pointed at the center of town. “Our second objective is to liberate the occupants of the holding pens. That relates to our third objective.”

  “According to our friends”—Sonja jabbed a thumb at the fliers—“most of the slaves are in the pits and in the hillside.” She pointed at the center of the map. “There are eight pits in total. Tree logs rest near each pit. They have ridges along the sides and act as a ladder. We need to roll the logs into the hole in such a fashion that the occupants can climb out again.”

  “We’re saving everybody, sir?” Bodin asked.

  Deveau nodded. “If we can ingratiate ourselves with the locals, they may be less willing to aid the toads later. We’re going to need to run far after we hit them. It’d be nice to have some allies along the way.”

  “Those logs look heavy,” Anne said. “Think the muscle fibers in our suit will be enough?”

  “According to the fliers,” Deveau said, “those behemoth creatures are fairly docile. It may be possible to convince them to assist us.” He gestured at the beetles, who jumped up and down in unison. “They can communicate our intentions to the behemoths.”

  “After we free the locals from the pits,” Sonja said, “we proceed to the third objective.” She pointed at the opening in the hillside. “Here’s where it gets tricky.”

  “We don’t know the layout inside,” Deveau said. “According to the fliers, the few who have been inside say it is a maze. Not complex enough that it’ll take forever to get through, but we may end up at dead ends if we aren’t careful.”

  “Use your HUD to track your progress,” Sonja said. “As a precaution, the drag team member will use UV spray on every corner for the return trip.”

  “This is the bad one,” Deveau said. “From what we understand, the fliers are kept inside so they can’t fly away. Further, none of the fliers here have actually been inside, so we are on our own. I’ll be joining the team inside the bunker.”

  “Sir,” Anne said, “shouldn’t you remain here?”

  Deveau should his head. “I’ve studied the Kali extensively. I know its layout and its systems. It’s best if I go in instead of communicating that information to the rest of you.”

  “There’s a lot of locals down there,” Bodin said. “If they can see through our camo fields like these little guys, someone’s going to spot us.”r />
  “I’ve been experimenting.” The beetles scurried around Deveau’s feet. “It looks like they can’t detect us unless they are within a couple of meters. So that’s one bit of good news.”

  “And here’s another bit of good news,” Sonja said. “These guys aren’t making periodic patrols. They don’t even appear to have sentries. As the fliers have said, no one goes near this place for any reason, so there’s no reason for them to guard it. That means they’re not expecting to get hit. With stealth on, we’ve got the element of surprise.”

  Deveau tapped the edge of the map. It zoomed in on the hopper. “There’s a blind spot east of the hopper. We’ll divide into two teams. Salyard and I will hit the hopper.” He gestured toward the east edge of the village. “We’ll come around from the east and angle ourselves so it’s between us and the village. We’ll determine the functionality of the craft. If we can use the backup fusion batteries to send a signal to the bridge-sat, we will do so. If it can actually fly, we’ll find a new target for the explosives and preserve the hopper as much as possible. If that seems impossible, we’ll destroy it.”

  Sonja touched the map, and it panned to show the interior of the village. “When the explosives go off, Bodin and I will ninja our way toward these behemoths here.” She pointed at the west side of the encampment, next to the hill. “They haven’t moved at all since we arrived, so they’ll likely still be there. We’ll go with some of these guys”—she gestured at the beetles, who bounced up and down in response—“and attempt to communicate. We’ll then cover them from the toads as the slaves escape.”

  She pointed at the small spot on the southwest portion of the map, gently pushing aside some of the beetles playing in the three-dimensional image. “It turns out there’s an opening on the west side, here. A small ravine runs between this large rock formation and the hill. It runs south past the rock formation and out into the open. The fliers will be here and guide everyone out. From there, they’ll be on their own.”

  “They should be fine,” Deveau said. “By that point the toad creatures will be more concerned with us. Once the slaves are freed, each team will lay suppressing fire against any toads. The object here is to scare them off. Again, shoot to kill only when presented with no other choice. We’ll then rendezvous here.”

  He clicked the map, and it panned toward the cliff side. “Once inside, we need to find both the fliers being held prisoner and the Kali bridge. Once critical information is downloaded and contact with the bridge-sat is made, we can destroy the reactors.”

  “Team Two will guide the fliers through the maze,” Sonja said, “while Team One handles the Kali.”

  “The reactors have to be destroyed, at the very least,” Deveau added.

  “Sir,” Bodin said. “Can’t we just free the buzzards and un-ass?”

  “If that reactor is up and the factories are operational, then they can eventually develop what they want, including weapons,” Deveau said. “And, frankly, there’s no guarantee we can get a message out. We know the bridge-sat is there, but it may be damaged and no longer capable of short-circuiting space-time to send a signal. It’s possible that by the time rescue arrives, we won’t be alive to tell them about it.”

  “We could write it down somewhere,” Anne said.

  “How would anyone know where to look?” Sonja asked. “It’s a big planet.”

  “They may find our emergency beacons, assuming the locals haven’t done something with them,” Deveau said. “And a rescue mission may also not have the resources to handle this thing. We need to disable as much as possible while we have the chance.”

  Sonja looked at everyone. “Any questions so far?”

  “What do I do?” Cody asked.

  “You’re going to coordinate communication between the fliers and us,” Deveau said. “You’ll remain here with your stealth activated at all times.” He pointed at the hillside on the west side of the encampment. “From here, you keep us apprised to the actions in the camp. We can’t see what’s going on there from inside the tunnel.”

  “Risky,” Bodin said. “Not you, Doc, but all of us going in there. Sir, we can get cut off easily.”

  “That’s why you and Gunny will stay at the entrance,” Deveau said. “You’ll direct any escaping fliers and other civilians where to go in addition to keeping any backup from entering.”

  “Sir,” Anne said. “That still sounds risky. There are so many of them and so few of us.”

  “We have the rifles,” Sonja told her. “They don’t.”

  “Where do we rally afterward?” Bodin asked.

  “Here,” Deveau said. “Then the fliers will guide us to a more secure location.”

  A flier unfurled a wing and pointed to the northeast.

  “Any more questions?”

  Everyone shook their heads.

  “All right then. Let’s get some sleep. We hit them in the early morning, when the sun will be between them and the abandoned hopper.”

  When no one else had any questions, everyone separated. Sonja gave orders for shifts for the night, which was rapidly approaching. Days and nights were so short on this world that Cody wondered if he would get any sleep at all.

  Anne sat down near a rock then stared off into the western hills.

  “We can do this,” Cody said.

  She shrugged. “Lots of assumptions. They’re good assumptions, but…”

  “You don’t think it can work?”

  “If they say it’ll work, it will.” She smiled at him. “I’m new shoes, remember? Fresh out of boot camp. I’ve been trained, but I’ve never actually done a raid like this.”

  “You can do it,” Cody said. “You’ve got the same training as everyone else.”

  She chuckled. “Thanks. If I can see the end of tomorrow, I’ll call that a win.”

  ~~~

  Cody and Sonja watched the moon and the distant globular cluster. Sonja had ordered two awake per shift, considering their proximity to toad town. With the night-vision enhancements on his HUD, Cody could see clearly as far as the horizon. The landscape, once teeming with life, had become a desert when all the plant life retreated into the ground. The view was the same as it had been the night before.

  Finally, Cody spoke. “Too bad we couldn’t fly the hopper out of here.”

  “Which one?” Sonja asked. “The one we came in or the one in toad town?”

  “Either?” Cody looked at her. “Is it normal for Gunnery Sergeants to be pilots?”

  She snorted. “No. I was flying cargo ships as a civilian before the war. I joined the military when—” She stopped, pursing her lips. “Well, I just thought I’d be better at this than flying.”

  Sonja glanced over at Deveau. Most of the beetles rested around his sleeping form, but they took turns patrolling the immediate area around him. “They really like the major.”

  Cody shrugged. “Yeah, they just latched on to him.”

  “Like dogs.” Sonja shook her head. “They want something. The fliers are helping us because they want us to rescue their people. I don’t know why these guys are helping. I just wish I knew.”

  “Some people just want to help.”

  “I know,” she said. “Like you, I suppose. But in a place like this? Everyone helps themselves.”

  “I don’t believe that,” Cody said.

  “That’s because you grew up in civilization. There is no such thing here. Here, only the most violent survive. You can’t do things out of the kindness of your heart and expect something in return. The blessing of civilization is that we can do that sort of thing.”

  Cody nodded, not wanting to argue the point. “You’re a philosopher as well as a marine.”

  She smirked. “Tell anyone, and I’ll kill you.”

  ~~~

  Cody crouched near a boulder on the hillside overlooking toad town. On his other side was a coppice of reddish shrubbery. When he arrived, every five-sided leaf had turned to face him. A few minutes later, the leaves each faced d
ifferent directions, as if they had become accustomed to his presence.

  Cody waved his hand in front of his face, still fascinated by the idea he could barely see it. Better yet, it meant no one else could see him. From his position, he could see the entire village before him. The sun had just started to rise. He could polarize his helmet when the glare was bright enough.

  The village stirred. The behemoths and their riders had remained in position throughout the night, not budging a centimeter. Occasionally, something moved in one of the open pits surrounding the swamp in the center.

  Sonja spoke over their comm system, her voice low. “Team Two in position. Team One, what’s your status?”

  “Approaching from the east.” Anne’s voice was calm and level. “One mike until we’re in position.”

  Cody kept one eye on the village and the other on the visuals in his HUD, which displayed the optic views from everyone else. He cycled through the different views periodically, but kept most of his focus on the center area. A blob creature walked between the pits, carrying some sort of large basket. The blob pulled a small furry creature from the basket and tossed it into a nearby pit. The creature struggled in midair. In the pit, there was chaos—then silence.

  “Breakfast,” Bodin said, echoing Cody’s thoughts.

  “We’re in position,” Deveau said. “I don’t see any sign of detection. Confirm.”

  Though Deveau could see through everyone’s optics like anyone else, procedure was to ask for confirmation anyway, and Cody provided it from his vantage point on the hill. “No indication they’ve seen you.”

  “Good,” Deveau said. “Here we go.”

  ~~~

  Anne Salyard kept an eye out while Deveau’s invisible form examined the hopper. It was definitely a Mark Three, which the military had used toward the end of the war. She had only seen them in holos. The fact that the hopper wasn’t in pieces meant someone must have piloted it in. But the scorch marks on its port and anterior sides indicated it had probably reentered in a similar manner to the Spinoza. Whoever had been flying it was in a big hurry.