Adventures on RV Traveler (Free Trader Series Book 3) (19 page)

45 – Androids and Their Traps

G-War screamed as he bolted forward. Micah fired blindly ahead. Then waved her flashlight’s beam, looking for an enemy. G-War was jumping straight into the air, howling when he hit the deck plate and jumping up again. Micah moved close to him, and he hooked claws into her pack and climbed up it.

Braden ran ahead, ready to fight but confused when he didn’t see an enemy.

‘The deck, it bites me,’
G-War said, eyes wide, not knowing what hurt him.

As Pik moved forward, he gasped and nearly fell down. He danced from one foot to the other and back. He jumped back once, twice, and then rolled to the floor. The Lizard Man pulled his feet toward him and licked them. Braden shined his flashlight and saw the skin starting to bubble in a number of places.

“Look for a box. There’s an Android trap here somewhere.” They saw it to the side. Wires snaked from it across the floor. When they’d walked across it, those with bare feet were treated to an electric current. Pik’s feet weren’t insulated like the ‘cat’s, so he received a full dose.

G-War said he was unhurt.

Braden was digging into his pouch for numbweed when the first laser hit Skirill’s armor. Aadi swam furiously, letting out a yelp when a laser traced a line across one of his legs. Braden snap-fired back toward the beams. He rolled to the side of the hallway and fired underneath Aadi as the Tortoid continued to move forward, fast by his standards, agonizingly slowly by everyone else’s.

Micah dove to the other side of the hallway and fired into the darkness behind them. Pik whimpered in the middle of the hallway, until he picked up Braden’s dropped flashlight and shined it behind them.

Micah’s elbows were treated to a healthy electric shock. She rose to a sitting position and shot the Android’s box until it sparked and popped. Braden’s firing slowed the Android advance. Micah moved to Pik, pulling numbweed from her pouch and giving it to him.

She ran to the elevator door and turned back, pleading for Aadi to move faster. Zyena ducked and Skirill beat his wings to pull the Tortoid along. His pace increased markedly, but the hallway was filled with Hawkoid wings. Pik found himself behind Aadi with no way to get past. The numbweed relieved enough pain that he was able to walk, but he remained trapped, in the middle of the hallway, shining a flashlight toward a group of Androids bent on their destruction.

Braden and Micah fired at targets highlighted by the flashlight. They could see four Androids down, but judging by the laser beams fired at them, there were at least that many left.

“In the elevator!” She stood against the wall with her bracelet against the panel. Skirill tucked his wings against his body as Aadi swam the last stride and wedged against the elevator door. Micah leaned back and canted his shell. With a shove of her hip, he went through.

“Pik. Pik! Come on. We’re leaving!” she yelled down the hall. Pik ran in his jerky way, slightly limping from his encounter with the Android trap. G-War finally jumped from Micah’s pack and entered the elevator.

She fired a number of shots down the hallway, weaving from left to right. Braden knew it was his turn. He jumped up and bolted down the hallway, sliding, then diving into the open elevator door. Micah backed up half a step, still firing rapidly. She side-stepped smoothly into the elevator.

“Subdeck 5, please,” she said. She wasn’t even breathing hard, while Braden panted as if he’d just run up the side of a mountain. G-War sat serenely on the floor while the elevator carried them upward.

It wasn’t more than five heartbeats later that it stopped and the door opened.

The humidity hit them like a wave. The passageway was filled with vegetation.

46 – D2-3, Subdeck 5, Radial Passage 140, Frame 8687

“I know why there aren’t any Androids here,” Braden said out loud as he shook his head. He took a tentative step into the hallway, then reached a hand back into the elevator. “Flashlight, please.”

The light showed heavy vegetation, similar to the rainforest. It even smelled like the rainforest.

“Next thing we know, it’ll be raining.”

Something touched his leg. He jumped and shined the flashlight at it. He struggled to put his blaster away so he could pull his shortsword. Leaves, disturbed by his passing, brushed his leg a second time, then settled back to where they were before.

He finally put his blaster away and pulled out the shortsword, the Old Tech upgrade to his long knife. His hand shook while he held it. He looked at it as if it was its own entity, his hand filled his vision, knuckles white, holding the grip tightly. The tip wavered in exaggerated rhythm with his shaking hand.

Something else. A hand on his shoulder, squeezing, someone talking.

“Braden?” Micah leaned close, keeping her hand on his sword arm. She didn’t know if a creature had seized his mind. He looked different.

He blinked away the disembodiment and returned. He looked around, saw Micah, and smiled. “That was weird.” Braden shined his flashlight to the left and then to the right. “I think we’re going this way.” 

Micah turned his flashlight off. His eyes adjusted quickly to the twilight of the deck. It was lighter than he realized.

“I don’t think the Androids will follow us here; this place isn’t their style. Holly said there were no workstations active on this subdeck. I’m sure he’s right.” Braden used his sword to push vegetation aside and peer down the hallway. “Wow. I wonder how far this goes?”

“Wait,” Micah demanded in her presidential voice. “What the hell just happened to you?” Braden shook his head. They looked to the companions, wondering if any of them had an idea.

‘I suspect we’ll find some sort of mutant on this deck, but since it only affected one of us, we will continue to do as we have and watch out for each other,’
Aadi offered sagely.

Braden shrugged and went to work. He hacked enough vines, bushes, and tree limbs away from the elevator door to clear a path for Aadi and the two Hawkoids. They looked miserable. There wasn’t enough room to turn around.

Micah pulled her sword and tried to help, but she couldn’t swing. The space was too tight with the companions and the vegetation. Once an area was clear, then she’d be able to do a proper job.

Braden started hacking his way into the jungle, heading aft. Although he would cut his way there, it seemed that with each step, it receded into the distance, becoming farther and farther away.

This was just like the worst parts of the Amazon, except that it was on a ship in space, where it shouldn’t be growing.

“G, can you let me know if something is going to kill me? I can’t see past my sword point and I don’t want a Seeder blasting me. Or a Crawler grabbing me, or any other mutie bush, vine, tree, or blade of grass.”

‘As much in advance as I can, but it probably won’t be more than a few heartbeats. You’ll just have to be more aware.’

Braden narrowed his eyes as he glared at the ‘cat. “Sometimes, G. Sometimes you really ask for it.” Braden stopped.

‘Holly, I’m not sure what the map is showing me. What’s on this level?’
Micah watched as Braden communicated with the hologram and half-heartedly hacked away at the growth in their way.

‘This deck is dedicated to laboratories, a cloning facility, as well as an extensive bioengineering lab.’

‘So we can expect to run into mutants, clones, and everything but Androids. You dropped us right into the middle of a world of pain, Holly. When we get back to the planet, you and me are going to have words.’

‘Understood, Master Braden. I look forward to your return. The braking maneuver is finished. For the next two hours, I’ll be running diagnostics and establishing the link between the ship and Cygnus VI. After that, transportation of the survivors will begin.’

The countdown clock showed 72:53.

Braden looked into the wild growth that filled the hallway. “Is it worth it? Twenty-two clones and one human will come here, then transfer to Vii. Before we started, I knew this was the right thing to do. I still believe it is, but I wish there weren’t so many obstacles. It was easier crossing the Great Desert.”

“It wouldn’t be you, us, if we didn’t help them. That decision is well behind us, partner mine. You’re up. Hack us a way through that!” To emphasize her point, she punched him in the shoulder.

He bowed his head, put his flashlight in his mouth, and gripped his shortsword with two hands before putting it back in its scabbard. Micah looked at him sideways. He pulled his blaster, dialed a narrow beam, then leaned close to the floor, aiming parallel to it. He held the trigger as he moved the aiming point slowly from one side to the other. When he let up on the trigger, the trees, bushes, and vines in front of him slowly toppled over. He holstered the blaster and took out his shortsword. He pushed into the green mass, knocking down the freshly cut plants and walking on them as he moved forward.

The blaster cut a huge swath, half the width of the hallway and deep down into it. Braden continued to push his way through, creating an opening wide enough for Aadi with the Hawkoids. Pik sniffed and limped happily through the wet undergrowth. G-War followed Pik, jumping from dry spot to dry spot. They stayed close behind Braden and remained wary, ready to act.

Micah brought up the rear, with Zyena right in front of her, looking backwards. The Hawkoid focused beyond Micah’s shoulder, keen eyes watching for enemies.

The group ran into each other when Braden abruptly stopped. He’d reached the end where the blaster had cut the trunks and vines. He looked at the blaster. Its charge was low. He had his second blaster, and decided to burn the remaining charge in the first one.

He leveled it and was preparing to fire when he heard a rustling ahead. He held his finger to his lips, calling for quiet.

G-War nodded and disappeared into the brush ahead.
‘A creature, not a mutie plant. I’ll look.’
 

The ‘cat returned after a few heartbeats.
‘An opening up ahead and a village. People are there.’

‘Normal people?’
Braden asked over the mindlink, a plan forming itself in his mind.

‘Yes.’

‘Well, what do you say we introduce ourselves?’
Braden looked to his companions. These humans were between where the companions were and where they wanted to go.
‘I’ll go first with G-War, the rest of you wait. I expect they don’t get many visitors.’

With one last nod, Braden plowed into the brush ahead and forced his way through. He avoided hacking into the brush so he’d look less threatening to the new humans. When he broke through finally, he was breathing hard, his face bleeding from a number of cuts.

A group of humans, wearing nothing but leaves held on with vines, started howling and yelling unintelligible words. They carried spears that looked to be of the same material as his Old Tech recurve bow. Braden didn’t feel threatened, rather the other humans were panicking and this was their only way to show it.

‘G, a little help please. Can you calm them down?’

The ‘cat strolled forward, stopping when he had their full attention. His head and tail were high as he looked from one to the other. Five humans, male and female, stood mesmerized by the ‘cat.
‘Calm down,’
he said over the mindlink.

I wish I would have thought of that.
Braden wondered if the ‘cat shared his thought voice with the other humans or if it was solely for Braden’s benefit. The humans seemed calmer, whatever the reason.

“I’m Free Trader Braden, Caretaker Braden. We wish to pass through your area on our journey beyond this…this…this area.” He didn’t know what to call it. They may not know they lived between Decks on a spaceship. They watched him oddly, cocking their heads like dogs as they looked at him in wonder.

‘Are there any more of them around?’
Braden asked the ‘cat.

‘Yes. Many more humans and animals. They are on both sides of the hallway, but ahead is relatively clear.’
G-War was more candid than usual. He probably wanted to get past this group and didn’t have the patience for the usual twenty questions.

‘Define relatively?’
Braden asked.

‘A few humans, some animals, the usual.’

“So nothing dangerous as far as you can see. Don’t kill anything in here, G. We don’t want to wear out our welcome.” Braden talked out loud, but it didn’t appear these humans understood him.

‘Come on through, everybody,’
Braden passed over the mindlink.

After a short delay, he heard the muted sounds of chopping. They grew louder and louder until the last of the brush was hewn and fell at his feet. Micah’s chest heaved with her efforts. She stepped through as the humans looked at the sword in her hand. They dropped to their knees before her.

“Just like you did when you first met me,” she said, taking a deep breath.

“Something like that.” He put his hand on her shoulder and they moved aside as Pik stepped from the heavy foliage, followed shortly by Aadi with the two Hawkoids standing on his armored shell. The strange humans remained prostrate. “I guess we can go now. Micah, why don’t you lead with G-War. It seems that you influence them better than I do. Just in case we run across more of them.”

“Goes without saying. I think you just want me to hack down the forest. It’s been a while since I’ve done anything physical. It feels good.” She leaned toward the humans. “It was nice meeting you, but we have to go.”

She continued past, followed closely by Pik and Aadi. Braden nodded to G-War, who caught up with her. Braden watched over the humans until the way forward was clear. He backed into the tunnel that Micah had made. After tripping once, he turned and watched his footing. In front of him, Zyena looked backward so he didn’t have to.

‘Thanks, Zee, for making sure no one sneaks up on me.’

‘It is the least I can do. No, I’m not sure I can do less. When will we see the open sky again?’
Zyena asked.

‘Not soon enough, Zee. Not soon enough.’