Clouds Of War, page 13
part #3 of The Descendants War Series
He put in the call to his people on alert. Security mustered in the hangar. They could technically be on the surface in less than ten minutes. Which might've been an eternity for the people on the ground if they didn't have it at least partially under control.
Rhys brought Gunny up on the comm. "You've got support on the way. ETA ten minutes give or take."
"I'll send coordinates for a rendezvous. We've almost got this area secure and some unexpected allies. Both sentient and otherwise."
"Just be sure to keep the Pargon safe," Rhys said. "We're too new to this game to get involved in some kind of intergalactic incident over the loss of a prominent scientist."
"He won't leave my sight." Gunfire cracked in the background. "Gotta go, sir."
Rhys leaned back. "Sounds rough down there."
"Sir?" Violet spoke up. "I'm picking up a warp signature on the edge of this system. Someone's about to arrive."
"Do we have a way to know who?" Titus asked. "By the energy of the warp or maybe a silhouette?"
"Not like that... but there's definitely more than one ship." Violet hummed. "I'm checking the database to see if there's anything else I can do."
We know who it is, Rhys thought. The enemy had to be on to this as well. And with more than one ship...
"Captain, do you think we should abort?"
"What?" Titus looked at him. "What do you mean?"
"Recall the landing party, get them aboard and depart before this party shows up to crash ours."
"We need this data," Titus said. "We don't get another shot and the trail goes cold here. If we don't let them finish, we're dead in the water."
"Maybe that's not such a bad thing. If we stopped hunting an unknown, we can focus instead on the war situation. Gather resources needed for the fight. Talk to the Prytins... this... may be nothing."
"Or it could be a lot more," Titus replied. "I'm putting my faith in this for a variety of reasons, not the least of which being the hope we find something that might limit or even end the conflict." He patted Rhys on the arm. "Besides, we've got some tricks up our sleeve. Whoever shows up, we'll be ready for them."
Will we though? Three ships? The last fight didn't go terribly, but they had ended up being slammed pretty hard.
"Once our extra troops get down there, we may want to at least move away. Buy ourselves some breathing room. They should be able to last down there while we take care of the threat up here."
"Violet," Titus said, "get me a reading on the sector. I want anything we might use to our advantage if we have to fight. I'm talking asteroids, debris, unusual planets... whatever strikes you as odd, let me know."
"Aye, sir." Violet went to work.
"Jane," Titus turned to the pilot, "how're you feeling about a conflict? If we have to fight, do we have it?"
"Helm's fine," Jane replied. "All systems are online and ready to go. I think we'll be okay, sir."
Titus nodded. "Violet, how long before our guests arrive?"
"Ten minutes at the edge of the system. If they don't go into warp again, it would take more than thirty hours to get here from that distance at maximum thrust."
"So we know how they'll close the distance when they see there's only one of us." Titus rubbed his chin. "There must be something we can do with these satellites."
"Like what?" Rhys asked.
"I'm not sure. Maybe get them broadcasting. Try to show the planet's in better shape than it looks like from surface scans. What do you think? We could throw some data to one then bounce it around to all of them constantly, a circular loop. That would give it the appearance of activity that they couldn't necessarily identify."
"Because it wouldn't be in their language," Rhys said. "Right?"
"Exactly."
"What's the goal?"
"Give them pause," Titus said. "Slow them down. Anything to give us a slight advantage. If they think this place is a bustling world, they might not be so anxious to jump in and start messing around. Plus, I don't see how it would be any skin off our back to try. Can you take care of it?"
"I think so." Rhys turned to his terminal to start the process.
"Huxley," Titus spoke into his comm, "we may be going to battle stations shortly. Be ready for some action."
"Yes, sir. I'll be ready."
"Excellent." Titus leaned back. "And now we all take a moment to get things done. With any luck, we can buy ourselves enough time for a download on the planet's surface."
"Do you really believe that?" Rhys asked.
"No, but I'm trying to be more optimistic these days. Lets me sleep better."
That makes one of us, Rhys thought. Okay, one little distraction coming up.
***
Gunny ducked as a couple shots came dangerously close to his head. They were in cover far from the battle going on with his other people but that didn't mean the long rifles couldn't reach them. He needed to get the civilians to a better position. One far enough away from the action to keep them completely safe.
"Uldin, we're moving," Gunny said. "I want you to fall back through that alley over there. Don't stop for anything."
"Are you sure?" Uldin asked. "I feel like we should stay together."
"I'll be right behind you." Gunny cursed as another few stray rounds came near their position. His companions were already practically on the ground, hiding behind some debris. How long that would last depended on whether or not their enemy advanced... or the newcomers came upon them. "Go!"
Uldin grabbed his uncle, dragging him away toward the alley. As they took off, Gunny returned his attention to the courtyard where the other three of his soldiers were operating. "Listen up, Hans, Alon, Vesper. I'm on the move. We're taking a defensive position. I'll double back and do what I can to support you."
"We've got this," Hans said, "just keep the VIPs safe."
"You're not sure you've got this," Gunny replied. "Good news though. We have reinforcements on their way. We'll see the shuttles soon." He paused. "Okay, better plan. I'm giving you a rendezvous point. Get yourselves going in that direction. When you've cleared the building, we'll rain some hell down on it. Got it?"
"Yes, sir," Alon said.
"Wait," Vesper spoke up, "what about the potential allies we have? We don't want them caught in a crossfire."
Gunny sighed. He stepped away from his position, jogging toward his destination. "We don't know that they are allies. But we'll do our best to not mess with them if at all possible. Now move your ass, soldier! I do not want to repeat this plan to you because you're worrying about things above your pay grade!"
He entered the alley, fully expecting to catch sight of Uldin and Essa. Only neither of them were there. Not anywhere along the stretch between the courtyard they'd left and the clearing on the opposite side. It was one of the few thoroughfares unobstructed by natural debris and plants.
What the hell? Gunny tapped his comm. "Uldin, Essa, do you copy?" Not even static came back. "Now's not the time for comm silence, gentlemen. Come in! Now!" He kept up the pace, moving swiftly along the alley. Windows to his left and right were low enough to get into easily enough. Why would they bother?
"Did you have an enemy encounter? Why did you leave the path?" Gunny sighed, pausing at one of the windows. He glanced in. A shot hit the pavement next to his foot. Without a second thought, he climbed through into the darkness. His helmet adjusted, giving him a proper view of a trashed room with the ceiling caved in at the back.
Dust hung in the air, as if it had been disturbed recently. Someone might've gone through there, coming down from the floor above. But what did that mean for Uldin and Essa? Gunny turned, looking outside again. No one seemed to be moving about. Not in the alley nor across the way in the opposite building.
"Guys," Gunny said, "we have a problem. Essa and Uldin aren't answering comms. I have no idea where either of them are."
"You need us to come to your position now?" Hans asked. "We'd have to break away."
"Do what you can to disengage anyway. No point in fighting until we've got the rest of the guys here. Get out of there so Andrews can do his work." Gunny sighed. "I'm continuing the search." I can't believe I let them go less than a hundred yards away and they managed to disappear.
Scans didn't show any friendly dots nearby, which may have been a sign they lost their transponders. Essentially, someone would've needed to remove their helmets and shut them off. Did they do that themselves? Their tech relied on two factors to keep tabs on one another, though. Gunny expected their vitals to provide a shot as well.
Unless they died. There was a chance, however small, they could've been killed. Heading into the other building may have been a bad call if part of it caved in on them. Crushed bodies would be harder to detect without specifically looking for them with particular scan programs.
I can't believe they would've died. They would've said something even if their last words were shouts of horror. Come on, man! Think! Gunny knew he needed to check the opposite building as well. The one he was in may have been a good call if he wanted to head up but it made more sense to stay on the ground level until he cleared each section.
This could take a while. But what else am I doing? Engines roared overhead, their shuttle making a pass.
"Hey!" Gunny called. "Andrews! Do you have a friendly scan down here besides me?"
"Just you, pal. But I am picking up a weird energy reading from three blocks down. Give it... about a kilometer from your current position. Lots of activity over there. Movement, I mean. I'd say roughly fifty people. Maybe more."
Fifty?! Gunny closed his eyes. The Triton isn't sending down that many guys. And we might only be experiencing the very beginning of their reinforcements. Son of a bitch! "I'm setting a waypoint now. I need the three of you to converge on that location ASAP. Here it is." He tapped his computer, setting the rendezvous for the end of the alley.
Gunny turned to the window, reaching for the edges. Noise behind him caught his attention, made him pause. He glanced over his shoulder, heart racing when something moved less than five feet away from him. How the hell did it get so close so fast?! He threw an elbow, clocking his potential attacker in the chest.
A huff gave him the gender; definitely a man. Gunny spun, lifting his weapon. His opponent, all clad in black, threw a kick, knocking the weapon aside before following up with a couple well placed punches to the chest. The armor may have deflected the worst of the damage but the blows genuinely hurt.
Gunny brought his hands up to block a punch to the face then retaliated, pushing his opponent toward the center of the room. They continued the dance, tossing attacks back and forth but neither landing anything significant. Even the glancing blows were noticeable through his armor though, a point he couldn't stop thinking about.
What's this guy made of? As far as he could tell, the black-clad figure wasn't wearing any technology. A knife on his right hip, a sidearm on the opposite side... the man's primary weapon dropped to the floor. Gunny's hung at his side, tangling him up occasionally through the brawl.
How is he able to hit so damn hard? Are these the people who took Uldin and Essa? And what did they want with the scientist?
Gunny dodged a punch then threw a kick, planting his boot firmly in the man's groin. The hit made the guy jump and he crumpled to the floor. At least something works! He lifted his rifle, aiming at the man's head. His finger twitched when a dozen clicks sounded from around the room, rifles all trained on him.
They're so damn quiet! How!? And why aren't they picked up on our scanners!?
Gunny looked between them before lowering his weapon. He lifted his hands as they came to take the gun. "Guys?" He spoke into the comm. No one replied. "Alon? Hans? Anyone?" Still nothing. Perfect. I get to pull the same disappearing act as the others. Well, if they kill me I hope my people are smart enough to figure it out.
Or at least survive the situation.
Chapter 8
Niva looked through scan data, letting out a long sigh. They were closing in on their destination, making good time though the sounds of battle in the distance kept her twitchy. Contact with the other party became spotty. Whatever they were up to likely threw enough of the spores into the air that their equipment tweaks couldn't compensate.
We're pretty much on our own for the time being.
"We should pick up the pace," Niva called to Kyle and Lysa. "I don't like this communication breakdown. Those spores shouldn't block chatter, only the sensors and even that's only because they confuse our programs." She paused as they came to a corner, glancing out. "Even if we get there, we can't coordinate unless they arrive too."
"And Essa has the key," Lysa pointed out. "We tasked him with carrying it."
"If we find it," Kyle said, "we can set up to ensure we're good to go when they arrive. Then venture out and find them if we have to." He paused. "We're less than three hundred yards from the search zone though."
"Do you hear that?" Niva looked up. The rumble of starship engines sounded off in the distance, at least three pairs. "There! Do you hear it?"
"Those are ours," Kyle replied. "Definitely Earth thrusters. Maybe Gunny called for some reinforcements."
"This is why I want comms back." Niva hurried out, making directly for their destination. The sun beat down on them in the open, cutting right through the armor. Part of her found it warm and comforting but only until she started sweating. I won't let Griel live this down. What a terrible idea.
"Do you think it's underground?" Kyle asked. "If it had been an above ground structure, I feel like we would've seen it on the way in. It can't be subtle."
"The inside is all that matters," Lysa replied. "But yeah, I imagine we might find a way in below. Those maintenance tunnels went to the big reactor in the last one. I bet we could've found an entrance a mile or so off if it holds true."
"Well..." Niva cleared her throat before continuing. "What I saw from your records proved that one was independent. There weren't any buildings around it. Meaning it had to be self-sufficient. Whatever temple we find here will have likely tapped into the power grid. Which means it should be a relatively normal structure all around."
Most of the city seemed to be intact, which Niva hadn't expected. They were obviously built to last though maybe someone committed to maintenance for some time before their civilization broke down. The thought of these people, an entire population being cut off from help, filled her with dread.
The vastness of space always intimidated her as a child. She knew the Prytins took a lot for granted, particularly their trade lanes. Their military patrolled the various colonies, ensuring their safety. To her knowledge, they hadn't lost anyone in a long while. But it had happened in their past.
Some planets were not able to survive on their own. They relied heavily on trade to supplement needs they couldn't replicate. These often involved parts for technology but food as well. Niva always wondered why such colonies weren't forced to find a way to provide for themselves, to at least try to fill the gaps.
Griel suggested it came down to finances. If a colony made money through resource gathering then their accountants didn't want to waste time trying to shore up weaknesses. And because they had years of success keeping them going, those ambiguous bean counters felt justified in arguing against such things.
Maybe a published report about this place might change their minds. Niva hoped Essa planned to write something up about it. His documentation would come out better if they could study the place for a few days. The good Pargon wanted a month or more. He was likely right about the potential finds there. I'm sure we'd learn a lot about the ancient past.
Part of her still struggled with the point of the mission. Chasing down the data seemed academic at best. Her intelligence commander disagreed. He felt there was something to be gained through the treasure hunt. Anything to provide insight into the Kahl, past or present, made them happy.
They based a lot of their tactics on discoveries from men like Essa. They believed in academics, which Niva had to admire even if she didn't necessarily understand. Her skills were in the field, taking down computer networks or infiltrating facilities. The research side of things definitely counted among her weaknesses.
"Here we are," Lysa said. "This is roughly the spot the coordinates showed. Why weren't they more specific?"
"Because," Kyle replied, "if you were a Kahl, you'd know what you were looking for. The temple wouldn't be a mystery. You'd just walk up to the front door, wave at some guy hanging out, then head in. Do some bowing or scraping, whatever they did, put your key in, and fsht! Off to the next location."
Niva smirked. "You have a singularly disrespectful view of religion."
"Usually, yes." Kyle nodded. "Especially when it compels an entire species to go to war with everyone."
"Can't argue with him," Lysa added. "Okay, let's spread out and do a scan. One of these structures may lead to what we're after. If not, we may be looking for a hidden entrance. Something underground. Which means stairs. Think subway as you walk. We'll meet up at the far side of this open space."
"I'll take this side," Niva gestured to the left. She tapped the computer on her wrist, setting the HUD to constantly ping the area for some kind of opening, a sealed entrance or even ancient Kahl letters. As far as she knew, they identified those structures with pillars in the front. Those had sigils on them, making their religious natures clear.
"Can you guys hear me?" Kyle asked. Static colored his tone but he was still legible. "I'm thinking comms are pretty bad off right now. What the heck's going on?"
"Could be jamming," Lysa replied. "Think about it. Back when we were kids, if you had to go to church, they had jammers in the altar to ensure you couldn't be playing with your device. You had to pay attention. Maybe they have the same thing here. It would explain a lot, don't you think?"
"Would it still be active?" Niva asked. "I don't see how it could be. Unless... well... they might have their own power source. If not, I just thought about something. We may have a hard time accessing the data."
