Annals of the Keepers: War 267 (Book 1 in the Gashnee Saga) (13 page)

Data Cell 21

The crash site
wreckage spread out across a wide area of the rocky terrain. Smoke billowed up from the largest shuttle pieces as thousands of smaller bits of debris were strewn amongst the outcroppings of sharp jagged boulders.

The most surreal scene was of the human remains, Ramek thought.

Ramek knew a major system failure occurred just minutes before the crash. It happened when they were escorting a six-man surveillance team off the planet’s surface, including two of Nevlen’s troops, who were now among the dead.

He knew it was a bad idea to use an old captured Kryth shuttle for the extraction, behind enemy lines instead of their own shuttles.

This was no doubt one of Nevlen’s ideas after they captured the Cuukzen.

The mission was to retrieve a team who had pulled surveillance on Kryth military activity in the system to probe their weaknesses. They were here for the last year and would have remained longer if it were not for the haphazard conference thrust upon the Ordinance at the last moment.

No matter now. It was his job to see the two survivors of the crash got off this rock.

Ramek approached a section of the shuttle hull where he had just left Jens.

“How does it look?” Jens grunted his question to Ramek.

Ramek approached his prone friend. He had fared far better than Jens in the crash.

Jens’ Reaver suit was cracked in several places, exposing flesh underneath. The nanites closed off the open wounds and began the bone-mending process, but it was not the injuries that bothered Ramek, it was the high levels of radiation poisoning from the surrounding outcroppings that worried him.

“All members are dead. The communication systems are all but destroyed. It’s just me and you,” Ramek said.

Rolling over and forcing his response, Jens replied, “I wouldn’t have it any other way, big man.”

Ramek smiled.

“Well, this is a screwed situation we find ourselves in, isn’t it,” Jens said.

“It could be worse.”

“How worse could it be?”

“We could be dead.”

“That would be worse.”

Ramek laughed.

He looked over the vitals of his injured friend.

Jens couldn’t discern Ramek’s expression under his mask but the few moments of silence confirmed what he had thought.

“How bad is it? No p
anacrap
either,” Jens said.

Ramek bent down on one knee, his hand resting across, he stared at the data pad.

“You have a lethal dose of radiation. The nanites and serums won’t be able to repair the damage. They will keep you alive for now,” Ramek paused, “until we can get you off of this rock to medical.” He paused once more not wanting to say his next words. “But without medical attention, you will die.”

“The thought of being able to punch Nevlen in the face has given me renewed hope.” Jens smiled.

“Aye. Then we need to move you. These rocks are too radioactive.”

Ramek stood up and looked off into the distance. “Over there, about two kilometers, is what looks to be an old mining facility, per the sensor readings. We may be able to find better cover there.”

Jens looked up at Ramek. “No time like the present. Let’s go. But, I may need a hand or two and a couple of legs if you wouldn’t mind,” he suggested.

Ramek reached over and lifted his friend up and over his shoulder as Jens grunted his discomfort.

“I’m sure glad the roles aren’t reversed,” Jens coughed before continuing. “I wouldn’t be able to lug your heavy ass across this god-forsaken terrain,” Jens said with lifted spirits.

Ramek snickered. “Then you’re lucky I’m not a Kryth female, right?”

“Nice. . . You got me on that one, old friend.”

Ramek traversed the rocks to the bottom of an open area that would lead to the mining facility.

He saw the sun was low on the horizon as night approached.

The two silhouetted Reavers passed behind the rolling plains and out of sight.

∞∞∞

The Aythra’s head appeared over a rock mound against a two-moon night sky. Its nose sniffed the air to its front. Beside the creature appeared a second Aythra beast followed by Sontar Jal.

“It’s here,” Sontar said to his team who approached the top of the hill he and the Aythras had ascended.

The wind blew dirt and debris from the shuttle crash site as Sontar surveyed the wreckage.

The two Aythra beasts lumbered down the hill towards one of the dead human bodies. Sontar and his soldiers followed.

It was the first time Sontar laid eyes upon a human before.

He mused over the body. “Funny, they look so frail. Are these the creatures Lintorth spoke in awe about?” Sontar smirked.

One Aythra began to pick up the scent of the two Reavers.

The other Aythra picked up pieces of human remains and tossed them about, snorting.

Sontar approached and looked down at the heavy imprints in the dirt. 

“And it looks like we have survivors. Splendid! So, the mighty warrior of the Domain, Lintorth Sol, searches for information in the archives, while I search for hard evidence like a true soldier of the Domain. We shall see who the Si favors now.” Sontar laughed at his own smug confidence.

The group departed the crash site and followed the tracks leading in the direction of the abandoned facility.

∞∞∞

High above the planet of
Mentabak 3
orbited the cruiser, the
Rapide
.

On board, the crew and Nevlen scanned over the data coming from the surface of the downed shuttle.

“Commander, we are picking up two human life signs, a kilometer away from the crash site,” a crew member spoke.

Nevlen paced back and forth with arms crossed. He looked to be in deep thought and a bit nervous the crewman noticed.

A second crew member spoke.

“We also have an enemy Kryth shuttle that just landed in. . .” he looked at his monitor, adjusting some controls, “in sector 12-B, some eight hundred meters outside the crash zone.”

Those words broke Nevlen’s thoughts.

“Shuttle? What shuttle? Where did it come from?” Nevlen asked.

The crewmembers reviewed the readouts.

The first one spoke. “We have no signs of any ships in the sector. We do not know where it originated from, sir.”

Nevlen continued his pacing.

The two crewmembers looked at each other in confusion.

The second member swiveled in his seat with a question, one that was on both of their minds.

“What about the survivors? We need to retrieve them don’t we, sir?” he asked.

Nevlen was lost back in thought once again.

Nevlen mumbled, “We can’t risk it.”

The second crew member replied, “Excuse me, sir, what was that?”

“I said we can’t risk it. We need more resources.”

“More resources for what?” the first crew asked.

Just as the crew questioned for clarification on the matter, an alarm sounded.

This broke Nevlen’s lost gaze as he turned to the sensors.

“We have an inbound Kryth cruiser closing from the far side of the planet, sir,” the first member shouted. “I believe they spotted us.”             

“That can’t be,” Nevlen said.

“They are on a direct approach, coming in at flank speed, sir.”

“We don’t have time for a rescue. We can’t lose any more assets behind Kryth lines before the conference begins,” Nevlen said.

“Orders, sir?” the crew asked.

“Head for the rendezvous point, then plot a course for the conference. We will meet up with Parejas and the others there to ascertain what to do regarding a rescue,” Nevlen ordered.

The second crew member objected. “We can’t leave them here. We must do something or the Kryth will capture them. We won’t have time to come back. We can engage them now and then…” He was cut short.

“You heard me. We knew the dangers of such a mission, but we cannot allow the Kryth to capture this ship and its intel,” Nevlen shouted. “Make the jump to hyper-space, now. That’s an order!”

The
Rapide’s
engines glowed bright as the ship jumped out of the system.

Data Cell 22

The mining facility
was crumbling; both weather and time had stripped the outer façade and shattered windows away. An assortment of mining machinery was distinguishable from the surrounding rock piles as the rust-covered metal hulks blended well into their landscape.

Ramek approached with Jens draped over his back. He scanned the structure with his helmet’s sensors.

“It’s abandoned. No sign of life or activity. The radiation levels are in normal range. I think we will call this home until a rescue shuttle arrives,” Ramek said.

Ramek entered one of the openings he found in a wall.

The interior of the old facility wasn’t in any better shape than the outside, Ramek thought. It was at least cover from the elements or from whatever unseen creatures lived on this mineral-rich planet.

He spotted some stairs that led to a third story, safer than the ground floor. The third level seemed to have all of its walls, less broken windows, and some old storage containers.

This will have to do for now, laying Jens down against a pillar near the center of the room.

“We will rest here while I try and make coms with the
Rapid,
” Ramek said.

Jens winced in pain. His breathing became more labored as he spoke. “Do you have anything to eat?”

“I have a couple protein gels. Not much more was recoverable from the wreck.”

Jens’ shaking hands took the gels.

It was just a matter of time now, Ramek thought of his friend’s condition.

Ramek found a seat next to Jens.

“This place smells,” Jens commented.

“It can’t smell any worse than you, buddy,” Ramek said, trying to lift the mood.

Jens managed a smile.

His friend was drifting fast. Ramek needed to keep Jens focused.

“Remember our first mission? Ramek asked.

Jens coughed again. “Against the Mertiklask? Those ugly bastards, how could I forget?”

“That was the one.”

“What about it?”

Ramek began to chuckle. “I remember the look on your face,” he began to laugh even harder, “when you bumped into that stub tree. And you had your face plate open. Remember?”

Jens smiled. “I remember.”

“You began to scream and dance around,” Ramek couldn’t hold back his laughter, “arms flailing around like some pissed-off and crazed tember monkey. We had no idea what had happened until that stub weaver spider dropped to the ground.”

Ramek doubled over snorting, trying to catch his breath.

Jens began to laugh a little too. “You would have done the same.”

Ramek caught a breath. “We called it the spider dance. The thing landed right on your face.”

“That thing was the size of your big head,” replied Jens.

Ramek was about to lift his face plate from all his chuckling when his heads-up display beeped a warning.

“We have incoming targets,” Ramek said.

“Is it Nevlen or
stub weaver
spiders?”

“Good question. Glad to see you’re in lifted spirits. I wouldn’t mind seeing that spider dance again.”

Ramek stood and approached the window. He was waiting for the yellow triangle icons to change to green regarding the unknown targets that had appeared. They didn’t -- they went to red.

“We have ten Kryth soldiers inbound and…” he paused, “Damn. And two Aythras, about 100 meters out,” Ramek replied.

Ramek wasn’t worried when he spotted the Kryth. He knew with cover of night and the advantage of elevation they would not be a problem. It was the Aythra’s he was more concerned with because of Jens’ condition.

“Nasty creatures, those Aythras are. Too bad it wasn’t the spiders,” Jens concurred.

“We have no time to set up a relay for coms with the
Rapide
. I’m going to have to fight,” Ramek said, looking towards Jens.  

Jens coughed.

A red texture now covered his lips. He spoke. “It’s obvious I won’t be any help to you in this fight, my friend. But you,” his breathing difficult, “you will have a better advantage from the shadows.”

Ramek knew his friend was correct; even though he wanted to argue his point, he knew it was of no use.

He approached Jens and got down on one knee.

Jens had already begun to eject his micro gyro-jet rounds from his forearm launcher.

Ramek released the seal on his helmet. His face plate lifted.

“Ah, don’t look at me, Ramek.” Jens voice cracked, not wanting his emotions to overcome him.

Ramek reached out his arm to his friend.

Jens met his arm as the two men clasped forearms.

Ramek spoke first. “I will make it their last stand, not ours.”

Without looking at Ramek, Jens handed the rounds to him.

When Ramek finished loading, he knew what was coming next.

Jens lifted and, with what little strength he had left, untied and held aloft his Reaver regimental sash handing it to Ramek.

Ramek took it.

“You will not be forgotten, my friend. The Kryth will suffer this day.”

“I have no doubt about their suffering from you, big man. I can’t wait to hear their screams.” Jens lifted his head to look upon Ramek. “It has been good knowing you my brother. Now go. No time to waste on me. I will hold them off if they come my way. I still . . . have a few tricks up my sleeve,” Jens said, smiling.

“Farewell, Reaver.”

Ramek released his grip with Jens and headed towards the shadows of the complex.

∞∞∞

The Kryth had approached the same way the footprints led into the complex.

Sontar Jal knew the hunted were wounded and in no shape for a fight.

He scanned the structure finding one life form, slumped down on the third floor.

Was he too late for a live capture?

No matter, at least he would bring back a trophy of the first dead warrior Lintorth spoke of.

Sontar sent two teams of four with one Aythra as he, a soldier, and the other Aythra stayed on the ground monitoring what he thought would be a quick, easy clean-up mission.

The first team entered the stairs on their way to the third floor.

A Kryth soldier rounded the second floor stairwell when unseen shots flashed from above. The impact sent the Kryth screaming over the railing down to the ground below.

The remaining Kryth pulled back into defensive positions and began to pepper the stair shaft with weapons’ fire.

After a few seconds, they ceased.

Their weapons did not pick up any other life forms save the one still on the third floor, still not moving.

The Kryth continued their careful ascent to the second floor.

They entered the floor, scanning and tracking around the several dozen crates that littered the open space of the room. They went through multiple spectrum filters on their scanners but came up empty for any life signs.

The Kryth didn’t see the micro-wire that came from above as it wrapped around the neck of one soldier, sending him screaming through the air as his body was pulled upward into the dark rafters.

The remaining two soldiers fired up into the air not sure what they were firing at.

A body soon plummeted back down towards them. In reaction, they ripped the falling body to shreds as it landed in their midst, spraying blood everywhere. The body was the headless corpse of their comrade.

As they looked back up into the darkness, the severed head followed, hitting the floor and bouncing over the edge and down the stairs.

One of the last two Kryth fired a haphazard rocket into the rafter, erupting into a huge explosion, shattering the remaining glass panels in the windows.

The blast threw Ramek backwards but he caught himself with his micro-wire, as he launched the wire upward, attaching to a top beam on the roof of the complex.

The metal sections around him blew apart from the Kryth rocket and fell back downward and onto the last two ill-fated Kryth from the first team below.

The explosion soon ended and human screams replaced the noise.

Ramek swung to a suspended catwalk along the far wall.

He ran down the old metal pathway as the anchors tore and buckled under his weight. The bending and creeks of the metal didn’t delay him from getting to Jens.

The screams were getting louder as Ramek approached a rusted half-hinged door. He smashed through and was now six floors over Jens’ position where he had left him.

What caught his eye next sent him into an instant rage.

An Aythra beast had Jens in its mouth, shaking him back and forth as the Reaver’s blood spilled out onto the floor.

Without hesitating, Ramek leaped over the railing high above the Aythra’s position.

As he fell, he noticed the other four Kryth on the second team were searching around.

Continuing to fall, he fired four gyro-jet rockets from his arm. Each found their Kryth target.

Upon impact, the Kryth bodies blew apart, showering the room in chunks of blood and bone.

Ramek issued a verbal command and, as all the blades on his armor extended, he landed on top of the great beast.

With a crash, the monster released its victim as Ramek began to eviscerate the creature under him.

The howls and bellows of the Aythra echoed throughout the hollow complex. The beast flung the Reaver from its bloodied back, throwing him against a pillar to slump to the floor.

The Aythra turned and stumbled, raising itself off the floor. It turned to move towards Ramek, but the creature, gurgling and gasping for air, spewed its throat interior out and onto the floor.

The monster dropped where it had stood.

Ramek raised and approached his dead friend, his armor soaked in blood.

But just as he got to Jens’ lifeless body, something caught the corner of his eye.

The second Aythra pounced from the shadows hitting Ramek sending both of them tumbling out the third floor window and onto the ground outside.

Ramek was first to stand, as the Aythra rolled and jumped to its feet.

Ramek fired a fifteen-foot micro-wire along the ground to his side.

The beast charged Ramek as he whipped the wire, sending it across the Aythra’s face, slashing and gouging one of its eyes.

The creature let out a horrendous cry as the wire tore into its flesh. Its movement was halted before it leaped at Ramek enraged, readying its serrated teeth for the kill.

The twin blades atop Ramek’s fists found the Aythra’s soft underbelly as the monster landed on top of him.

With a grunt, Ramek rolled the dying creature away.

He stood over the beast, ready to draw the last breath of its life, when the net found him.

The net wrapped itself around Ramek’s body, sending a high-powered volt of electricity through its interconnecting cross-sections.

Ramek dropped to his knees.

White tendrils of energy coursed over his violently shaking body.

With battle-hardened strength, he stood and turned towards the direction it had come.

His helmet’s display flashed an error. {Electrical Shielding: Failure}

Another jolt, much larger than the first, washed over him sending the Reaver to the ground, unconscious.

A laugh from behind issued against the crackling of residual energy coursing along the ground and through the net.

Sontar Jal approached his unconscious victim.

“Who’s the mighty warrior of the Domain now?” Sontar was fascinated by the armored creature before him. “Wait until Lintorth sees what I’ve caught.”

The last Kryth soldier approached Ramek.

The soldier bent over to remove the net as a stray volt arced up and tagged the Kryth’s hand, sending him flying back to the ground with a shriek.

Sontar Jal just stood there shaking his head at the foolish soldier. “Pathetic.
”