Dark Vengeance (19 page)

Applause broke out in the room. Hopeful conversations began around us. I looked at R.J. “Was it enough?”

He nodded. “It will not take the full power version so lightly. I guarantee it. I believe we have found its Achilles heel.”

“So, now?”

“We’ll begin evacuating the A-section of the concourse and set up a team to design and implement the best field of battle that you asked for. I’m guessing the thing will begin finding its way into the A section probably in a matter of hours. If they can come up with a third blade, maybe I should go in with you guys.”

“Absolutely not! I want you on a headset calling the plays.”

“That’s not a bad idea.”

Just then Captain Mars appeared behind us. He spoke while continuing to stare intently at the overhead monitor. “So this is it, Gentlemen. We have one section of concourse left before the creature is upon us, but we now have weapons and two brave men to wield them. What is our current status, Commander?”

Before R.J. could respond, a staff member hurried into the room, went to R.J., and leaned in to speak in a tone too low to hear.

R.J. turned to us. “By coincidence, two of the weapons are ready. They have a setup in the next room with some additional accessories you need to look at, Adrian.”

As we left, I could not help but look back at the sight of the Gaglion beginning its exploration of the B-section concourse and the shops along it.

In the adjacent room, I was surprised by an assortment of battle gear set up on tables. R.J. gave me a somber look and began the tour. He went to two folded black jump suits and placed his hand on one of them. “These are tough but the beam weapons will pass right through them and cut you up badly. We’ve attached extra med patches all over these suits to make it easy for you to reach one in the event the worst happens. Those patches will seal a cut almost instantly until you can get to the doctor. But, your suit protection will also be very limited since the creature can pass right through it like it’s not even there. You might get a split second of protection, no more.” R.J. moved on to the next table. On it, something that looked like a robotic arm glistened black. “I’ve nicknamed this the iron man arm. This should also give you a few seconds of protection. When you raise your arm rapidly, it emits and forms a rectangular shield with some of the same properties of the weapon.”

The three of us then went to a table across the room where a silver case sat open with two objects embedded in foam. From a distance they looked like two, twelve inch pieces of chrome pipe but as we approached there began to be more detail. At the rear of each handle a pommel had been formed to prevent the handle from slipping out of the users grasp. Likewise, a modest guard had been fitted to the front to prevent the hand from sliding too far forward. There were a number of color coded controls recessed into groves on the handle and a locking button of some kind on the very rear. Although the grip appeared to be smooth chrome, I suspected it had somehow been rendered non-slip.

We stood looking down at the two newly constructed weapons. Finally the Captain spoke, “Well, I’d like to see one of these in action if one of you would be so kind?”

R.J. looked at me. I shrugged and dug one out of its foam bed. It felt well balanced and carefully weighted.

“The engineers and I have nicknamed it the ‘life saver.’ You press the button on the rear and twist the back section of the grip,” said R.J. “For god’s sake, be careful where you point it.”

I gave him a sarcastic look, stepped away from them and positioned it downward to be switched on. The instant the handle was turned the unit began to hum internally though there was not the tiniest bit of vibration. Less than a second later an orange flame shot out of the business end like a narrow stream from a flame thrower. It extended almost to the floor, crackled and sparked, and became a three-foot blade of orange fire that made me expect the grip to get hot though it remained decidedly cool. I turned my back to the others and raised and lowered the weapon. Tiny droplets of fire escaped the blade and evaporated in the air almost instantly as the weapon was moved.

“A marvel to behold,” commented the Captain. “I will take this demonstration as a small measure of hope while I return to the bridge access work.” He nodded to us and disappeared into the corridor.

With the greatest of respect, I pushed the rear button on the weapon and twisted the grip to the off position. The blade of fire withdrew into the handle.

“I need somewhere I can get the feel of this thing,” I said.

“They’ve set up a place for you downstairs in the staff residence area; the first room on the left as you enter that hallway. It’s an open area large enough to maneuver.” R.J. picked up a black satchel off the floor and began packing the suit, arm, and accessories in it.

“You’ll give me a call when it gets near show time, right?”

“They’re already moving everyone out of the A-section concourse. It’ll be sealed off in an hour or two. After that, you and Ian could go in and get a feel for the place anytime you please.”

“I can think of a dozen smart mouth replies to that but my heart just isn’t in it.”

With a grim expression of exhaustion, he handed me the packed satchel. It was one of the few times R.J. looked like he was at a loss for words.

I gave a half smile. “I’m thinking you’d better get some rest, amigo.”

“When it’s over, there’ll be plenty of time for rest.”

“Where you gonna be?”

“When you and Ian are ready to deploy, I’ll meet you at the pressure doors with special headsets. You’re the one who needs to try to get some extra rest.”

I slung the pack over my shoulder, gave him a quick salute and headed out the door.

The grand gallery still looked deserted. No one was even at the main desk. Inside the entrance to the special crew quarters, I stopped in the first room on the left as suggested by R.J. Tables and chairs had been pushed to one corner to make an open area. At one of the tables I unpacked the gear and looked it over carefully. On the black combat suit, the med patches were arranged so they could be quickly peeled off without fishing around in a pocket. It was an ingenious innovation. I lifted the iron man arm; light as a feather. When I slid my hand and arm into it, the thing pressurized and squeezed comfortably in place. I took a front stance and jerked my arm up to watch the electronic rectangular shield pop up. It was transparent and I could tap it with one finger and watch tiny waves of disruption flow outward from the impact.

My life saver sat on the table waiting. I picked it up and was surprised to find switching from hand to hand was indeed balanced and easy. Moving to room’s center, I took a front stance and twisted the weapon’s handle. The fire beam shot out of the tube more quickly this time causing me to flinch. Slow, methodical movements of the blade brought impressive trails of dissolving orange fire. There was a sound like waving a torch.

I became strangely enamored by the fire trails and found myself stepping through some of the martial arts forms I knew so well. The blade seemed to make itself a part of the
huen
, always finding a place to sweep no matter what stance or movement was being performed. By the time I retracted the fire back into the grip, I had bonded well with the weapon. It left me more relaxed than I had been for some time.

Fantasia was waiting with a new array of foods on the table. She wore layers of pink and white silk robes that reached the floor. As always, her appearance was striking enough to make anyone stop and stare. I gently placed my pack on a gray cushioned chair and went to her.

“What is this?”

“These are foods that provide strength and stamina. What’s in the bag?”

“All things the creature will not like.”

“Sit and let me serve you tea.”

“Not much of a tea person, Fantasia.”

“You will like this tea. I promise.”

She came to me with an odd looking teapot in hand and poured into a delicate china cup with a rose design. She leaned against my shoulder, and paused long enough for a perfume that was beyond description to intoxicate me. I sipped from the cup and watched her return to her seat.

We sat in silence, occasionally sampling from the dishes between us. Finally Fantasia dabbed her mouth with a rose-covered napkin and spoke. “We should talk about something pleasant.”

“Let me think…”

“We could talk about our future.”

“Could be a little premature.”

“Not at all. When we reach Enuro, there are personal matters I must attend to. I own a small castle overlooking Lake Menoir on Enuro.  A fairly large staff is there awaiting my return. There are affairs I must attend to.”

“A castle with a large staff? Are you rich, Fantasia?”

She smiled and chose another slice of fruit. “Hosting dignitaries from a variety of alien species requires special intuition and diplomacy. The compensations are considerable. I also manage very old wealth left to me by the doctor of genetics who engineered me.”

“I cannot come with you when we get there. I am to ferry a large starship back to Earth for ceremonies and celebrations I do not care for but must attend. Afterward, I may be able to return to Enuro and join you in your castle.”

“How will you reach Enuro from Earth?”

“I have a starship. It’s called the Griffin. It’s a very fast little ship.”

“You own a starship? Are you rich, Adrian?”

I nearly choked on something I’d eaten from a half shell. A rose-covered napkin rescued me from spitting on the table. Somehow she had tricked me into laughing during such foreboding hours. It was another reminder that I was sitting with someone commanding a magic I had never experienced before. Had I decided to join her back on Enuro? Had I thought that through at all?

“What would we do at your castle on Enuro, Fantasia?”

“Something I once read in an Earth book. I believe the words are… live happily ever after.”

“I have quite a few friends on Earth.”

“Tell them to come live with us at the castle. It’s actually not that small.”

“You know very little about me.”

“I know everything.”

“But I know very little about you, Fantasia.”

“And what if everything you have yet to learn is good?”

“I wouldn’t be surprised.”

For some reason that made her laugh.

We left the table for the bed, stretched out on top of the covers, her arm draped over my chest, occasionally raising up to stroke my hair. She hummed a strange, extremely pleasant little tune which I suspected was intended to make me sleep.

Which it did.

Chapter 12

The call pierced sleep like the ringing of a bell. By the time I opened my eyes the adrenaline was already surging. This was the morning of the high school choir performance and I had a solo. I blinked to focus and found Fantasia, a sleeping beauty on the bed beside me. She had already begun her stasis. I climbed out of bed and hurriedly pulled on my combat gear, iron man arm included. I went to the bedside and sat a moment, took one of her hands in mine and kissed her fingers. She did not stir. At the food dispenser, I found she had programmed my coffee mix in. A few sips of it helped reassure me what reality was supposed to be like and that this was not it.

A sizable crowd was waiting at the sealed door to the recently closed off A-section. It was as though each of them felt it would help if they found something supportive to say to each other but their comments were made in such timid low tones they only served to emphasize the desperation of the moment.

There was no sign of Ian, but R.J. and some of the engineering staff were waiting at the entrance. R.J. was wearing his headset looking around nervously. His expression became sickly when he saw me.

“Have you heard from Ian this morning?” he asked as I approached.

“I just now woke up. I haven’t heard from anyone except for your piercing wrist alarm.”

“You were able to sleep?”

“Fantasia…”

“Oh, right.”

“So our uninvited guest is just next door now, eh?”

“As we expected, it crossed over into the A-section about an hour ago. It’s on the west side exploring some of the areas that used to be staterooms. There’s a tiny bit of helpful news. The aft engineer you rescued is awake and talking. He says the thing attacks first with its tentacles. It uses them to hold you while it mounts your head. If you can prevent it from grabbing that way, it apparently is not coordinated enough to get you.”

“How about the new layout beyond this wall?”

“All of the hatchways to the other pressure door sections, including aft engineering have been remotely opened, so you have an open path through the concourse back there. The new floor plans for the staterooms are set up in the A and B sections. They did not have time to do anything with the C-section. They’ve set up mostly rectangular compartments with doors on every wall possible. All doors have been set open for a fast exit and to avoid boxing the thing in so that it’s forced to head in our direction. Keep in mind there are still furnishings and equipment that are not holomatter back there, but that should just add more cover for you. Also, the surveillance system cameras don’t cover everything so we won’t be able to advise you of the creature’s position all the time. Are you still up for this?”

“What if I’m not?”

“How can you joke at a time like this?”

“It’s that old saying about laughing to keep from crying.”

R.J. paused and began looking nervously around again. “I’ve tried to reach Ian on his com channel but it seems to be turned off. I just don’t get it. Where is he?”

“Maybe he wised up.”

“Well, you shouldn’t go in there without him.”

“Why not? You want to have that thing surprise us and suddenly pop in here unannounced?”

“Oh, that’s so you. Oil up the rusty armor and charge the damn windmill.”

“Please don’t remind me of Bernard Porre at a time like this.”

“We should give Ian a little more time.”

“Like hell. Unseal that door and let’s do it.”

I had to motion to the engineers myself. As soon as I did the crowd parted and quickly moved back. R.J. fastened the headset on me and fidgeted around with it. He stepped back and gave a count. It was working perfectly.

“You’ll have to step into the concourse, the only area we couldn’t create cover for you. Wait until Engineer Arn gives us the all-clear that the creature is not out there. You should cut quickly to the east side of the concourse away from where the creature has been exploring. Take cover quickly.”

“No kidding?”

R.J.’s expression was dark. He ignored the bad joke. He relayed to Arn that we were ready. After a very long two or three minutes, Arn’s voice came over the com. “It is still in the west side old stateroom area, Commander. The concourse is clear.”

The engineering staff braced, holding the unsealed door ready to pull open. I walked up, took a ready position, nodded, and watched them tug the heavy red oval hatch ajar just enough. I stepped inside, crouched, and heard it clang shut behind me. There was a deafening silence.

The lighting had been set to evening to give a little more cover. The east and west sides of the concourse were now a series of opaque walls with open rectangular doors. I made a healthy sprint through the closest one on my right and found myself in a portion of the gym. The chrome workout equipment was still in place. I unclipped my life saver and twisted the handle to bring it to life. For some reason the bright orange flame-blade that shot out was unsettling rather than reassuring. It glistened eerily in the equipment chrome. I stood upright, braced with the fire blade held up in defense, listening for any sound of brain sucking predators.

R.J.’s voice cut in. “That was close, Adrian. It just crossed the concourse again and is now directly south of you, several rooms away. It seems disorientated by the change of floor plan. It does not appear to be aware you have entered.”

Another smart remark came to mind, but fear kept it at bay. It suddenly dawned on me that I had made no real strategy for this assault. Should it be seek and destroy, or wait in ambush? Either way, staying in one place is never a good plan. I quickly tested my iron man shield then moved within some of the exercise equipment for better cover. If the Gaglion tentacles were its weapon of choice, I promised myself I would cut the hell out of any tentacles that came my way. The thought seemed to give me a lift as the iron man arm wiped a bead of sweat from my brow in the cool Star Seven air.

Daring not to speak out loud, I held the weapon in my left-hand and typed on my wrist com with the right.

Let’s get on with it.

In response R.J.’s voice came over the com. “It’s just floating there, Adrian. It’s not moving. It’s waving its tentacles around in every direction but it’s not going anywhere.”

Come on. Point me.

“Take the door on your left. It leads to the next section of gymnasium. There’s more equipment there for cover. From there you need to cross over to the opposite side of the room. The next door will lead to the pool area. Not much cover, so don’t enter until I give you the all clear.”

I made a dash into the adjacent chamber and took cover between two of the gymnasium jogging cubicles; my back against the wall, my blade straight up. The south door to the pool area was a short distance away. I waited for my eye in the sky.

“It’s started moving again, Adrian. It’s in another section of one of the former staterooms directly south of you. It’s feeling along the wall using it’s tentacles like it’s looking for a hole or something. It doesn’t seem to be in any hurry. It’s four rooms south of you.”

Ducking through the next door, I had to scurry around the pool to stay on course. R.J.’s voice guided me along. “Yes, Adrian. Right through that door nearest you and you’ll be in the recreation game room. It’s clear. Go now.”

I crossed over. In the low light the place seemed ghostly. The various games and events scattered around me were still active. Colored, flashing lights kept erupting here and there. In all the times I had passed by this place there had been carnival-like music playing. That had been turned off. Now just the clicking and whirring of various amusements choreographed the light shows.

“It’s a good place to hide, Adrian. Keep it in mind. You are now just three sections away from the creature. It’s still hanging around like it’s amusing itself somehow.”

A quick dash, zigzagging through machines, brought me to the next door. I did not wait. Stepping through there was scattered furniture from a former stateroom. Two abandoned suitcases sat against the far wall near the next exit. I crossed over to it and stood with my back to the wall.

“For god’s sake, slow down, Adrian. You’re getting too close. It’s come around and may be thinking about heading your way. If it does, you will have just one chamber between you and it.”

I had to pause to control my breathing and change position so that a downward swing of the life saver would cover the entire breath of the open doorway next to me. I held the sizzling blade low with both hands, keeping it pointed downward and to my right, ready for a quick circular swing over the top of the entrance and down through the target. It was a comfortable position to wait for quick combat.

R.J.’s voice suddenly rose in pitch and became excited. “Hold there, Adrian! Something else is happening. Just hold! Wait!”

What the hell did that mean? Wait!? For what? Was it coming? What a dumb, ridiculous set of instructions! Suddenly activity out of the corner of my eye made me flinch and jerk to the right. I snapped my head around in time to spot something darting into the room from the previous door. Knees bent, I took a ready stance and followed the movement. The dark form stayed low and kept its distance. It did not seem intent on attacking. It darted around and took a position on the opposite side of the door.

Ian Athos straightened up and smiled at me. He had an alien aw-shucks look like someone very late for a party. He had not energized his weapon yet. He made a motion toward his wrist com and typed something. My com received and translated it.

Sorry. Overslept.

I heard R.J.’s voice talking irately to someone. “I’m sorry, Adrian. They brought him in on a different channel. They were late about informing me. I was focused on you and the creature. You’re both on this channel now. I’m very sorry.”

Ian immediately understood my posture. He energized his weapon and took a complimentary position on his side of the door, ready to down sweep his blade into anything that passed through.

“It’s moving, you guys! It’s in the room next to you. It’s following along the east wall with its tentacles. It’s floating about five feet above the floor. Get ready!”

Suddenly I noticed something new; a sickly sweet smell in the air, not really the smell of death but just as repulsive. I caught Ian’s eye. There was no need for hand signals or words. We knew what was about to happen. We were as ready as anyone could be.

“It’s following along your wall now! In a few seconds it will be directly across from you guys. I’ll give you a countdown.”

I began to hear the light tapping against the wall. There was something chilling about the sound. The foul smell became worse.

“Here it comes! It’s approaching from Ian’s side. It’s almost opposite Ian! Three…two…one!”

At the very first appearance of tentacles through the open door, we both brought our blades to bear. Ian was a fraction of a second faster. My orange fire followed his down through the collection of waving, translucent tentacles. We both cut through half a dozen of the snake-like things. Pieces of tentacle went flying everywhere. They fell to the floor wiggling and rolling. There was a shrill hideous screeching. The stubs pulled back and disappeared.