Gateway (Gateway Series Book 1) (16 page)

Lowering the sword to his side, Stone conceded. “Agreed.”

As Mori lowered her pistol, Stone dropped the sword and collapsed onto his good knee.

Mori stood over him, her pistol by her side. He was at her mercy and they both knew it. “You can finish it now,” said Stone.

Mori paused, conflicted with her promise and self-preservation. After what seemed an eternity, she holstered her pistol. “My people keep our oaths, Colonel,” replied Mori. “I will honor our agreement,” she continued as she leaned over Stone. “Stay there, Colonel. I will get the medipack from the pod.”

Chapter 10

Stone spent the next four days in a state of semi-consciousness as the medicines did their work.

He had brokered a good deal with the Terillian captain. She built a makeshift hut, tended to his wounds, and once the ready-meals were gone, she hunted for food. During his small periods of consciousness, Stone could remember Mori burning incense, singing rhythmic songs, and rubbing some type of substance on his wounds.

On the evening of the fourth day, Stone woke in the middle of his old familiar dream.

“Who’s Emily?” asked Mori as she sat a few feet away eating a soup she had just made from the yesterday’s kill. “And you mentioned Astra back on the ship. You must have been pretty busy, Colonel. Sounds like you had problems controlling your leg well before the escape pod,” she said jokingly.

“No…Astra is…it’s complicated.”

“I’m sure it is, Colonel,” she smiled.

“And Emily Martin was one of my company commanders,” continued Stone. “She is a Guardsman?” asked Mori. “It must be…she is known among the Rangers.”

“She was?” asked Stone.

“She has a reputation as a fierce warrior.”

“She was…” He paused, unable to believe Martin was actually gone. “I can remember on Golf 2…” He paused, concerned about telling too much.

“It’s all right, Colonel,” said Mori. “I don’t think you’re going to give away any state secrets.”

“She was killed on Juliet 3, when you…” He paused. “…in the attack. She was one of the finest warriors I have ever known.”

“I did not know…I am truly sorry, Colonel,” offered Mori. “All of your warriors performed bravely and brought honor to themselves and their unit. In our culture, the status of a warrior is measured by the caliber of our enemy and your men bring honor to both your people and the many lodges of our nations. Especially your Martin.”

“No need to apologize, Captain. Her death was not the fault of any Terillian. Her death is on the hands of a coward and a fool that will someday pay for his actions.”

“You Hanmani are a complicated civilization.”

“Why is it that you call us that?” asked Stone.

“You will not believe it,” replied Mori.

“Try me.”

“Fine.” Mori paused to take a deep breath. “Alpha Humana is the lost colony. Generations ago, your planet was the farthest humanoid settlement of our Confederation. It was colonized by bands from the Akota and a clan from the Iroqua—that is until you fell under control of the Xen. Contact was lost and expeditions failed to return…your people have lost their way and do not understand who you are…Hanmani is our word for lost. The next contact we had with your people was when we were attacked during the First Tero-Xen war with Humani fighting for their Xen masters.”

“Bullshit,” replied Stone.

“You asked where the name comes from and I told you. If you don’t like the answer, it’s not my problem,” stated Mori abruptly.

“That’s just wrong. Your ancestors have definitely done an excellent job of indoctrinating you into the lie. Our planet was devastated by religious wars and finally by the biological, chemical, and nuclear war between the Eastern and Western Alliances. Only a few hardened military bases survived. Other than that, it was anarchy…until the Xen arrived. A Xen scout ship crash-landed on Alpha Humana, and the recovery effort brought our two species into contact. The Xen took us under their wing and helped restore us and build a new, better civilization—one built on order, structure, and devoid of any religious nonsense that almost destroyed our planet.”

“I do not believe I am the one that has been deceived, Colonel.”

Mori paused and took a deep breath, her lips curling in slightly on themselves. “I don’t think this is going to get us anywhere,” she continued. “Why don’t you have some soup? You need to get your strength back and start pulling your weight around here.”

Stone knew she was right. He had done little but eat and sleep since their arrival.

“Thank you, Captain,” he said as he reached for the bowl of soup.

“You’re welcome, Colonel. And don’t worry; in a few more days you’re gonna earn your keep.”

***

Martin gently moved a small branch away from her face and peered through the dense underbrush into the small clearing where a Terillian transport had landed. Her eyes took longer than normal to focus. Although she had been able to stop her bleeding and slow the rate of infection from her wounds, the painkillers, her injuries, and a slowly progressing fever were starting to take their toll. She needed to find a way back to Humani territory soon—and hopefully this was her chance.

A small squad of Terillians had spread out from the transport, no-doubt collecting remains from the battle that had raged weeks ago.

Martin quickly sized up the situation; the pilot and navigator were probably still onboard, but otherwise only one soldier remained at the hatch as a guard. As Martin looked on, the soldier paced back and forth around the perimeter of the transport. After a few minutes, the guard propped his rifle against the hull of the transport and walked to a felled tree about five meters from the transport and his weapon. Leaning against the tree, the guard reached into one of his trouser pockets and pulled out a digital pad; he was instantly lost in whatever viewing item he had selected.

She uncapped the last of her painkillers. She closed her eyes and grimaced as she jabbed the injector into her thigh. After a slow, quiet, long breath, Martin deliberately unsheathed the Terillian sword she had taken from the battlefield and laid it beside her knee. After inhaling a big breath, she took the sword in her left hand. Martin balanced herself on her left hand and knee as she brought her right leg up and coiled her body for the rush toward the transport.

Focusing on the guard, she sprung from the cover of the brush. The pain from her wounds was excruciating, but there was no choice but to push on. Her legs were still capable, however, and she had covered half the distance before the guard saw her. At a full sprint, Martin’s vision tunneled as she zeroed in on her target. Jolted from his distraction, the guard quickly stood erect as he realized he was under attack.

Martin pressed on, grunting against the pain in her gut and shoulder as she pushed her body forward. Martin looked directly at the guard as she sprinted toward him. She could see the shock and fear on his face as he tried to steady himself to react. Finally taking action, the guard made a quick move for his rifle.

By the time the guard grabbed the rifle and swung it upwards toward her, Martin was on him. Launching her body into his torso, her crashed into his chest. The blow knocked the guard against the hull of the transport and caused him to drop his rifle.

Martin let out a groan as the pain from the impact sent a shock wave of agony through her body. Staggered from the pain, she fell backwards. As she fell, Martin slashed the guard across the abdomen with her sword. Letting out a moan, the guard fell to his knees grasping at his stomach.

Quickly rising to her own knees, Martin thrust the sword forward with all of her strength. The blade passed through the chest of the guard and stopped with a metallic thud as it impacted the hull of the transport.

She looked into the eyes of the guard. She could see that last spark fade and his eyes freeze into that too-familiar gaze of death. Grimacing as she rose to her feet, Martin pressed her right foot against the guard’s shoulder and with her left hand withdrew the sword from his body. As she did, the man’s lifeless body slumped backwards and crumbled to the ground.

Martin leaned against the hull and breathed heavily as she fought to gain control of the pain. After a few seconds she stood up straight, sheathed her sword, and withdrew the pistol from her waistband. The confines of the transport would muffle the sound of the gunshots when Martin moved against the crew.

“Time to get off this shithole,” Martin said out loud as she stepped through the hatch of the transport.

***

“Don’t miss him, Colonel,” whispered Mori.

“I don’t miss,” Stone replied. He exhaled slowly and pulled the trigger.

A single shot rang out across the valley.

Four hundred meters away a large deer crumpled to the ground.

“Told you,” smiled Stone as he stood up from behind the felled tree he had used as a rest.

“I figured you could hit it from there,” quipped Mori. “Just hope you didn’t mess up the meat.”

“Let’s go see,” replied Stone confidently as he shouldered the weapon and headed toward his kill with Mori at his side.

“Since you seem to be doing much better, I believe you should carry it back to the hut.”

“I made the kill so you should do the lifting,” said Stone, only half-joking.

“Really. What about the last two weeks while you were napping in the hut?”

“I guess I should do the heavy lifting, being the man.”

Mori stopped dead in her tracks. “The man?! You know what, I’ll get it myself.”

“Damn. I was just kidding,” said Stone. “I figured we would both share the load.”

“Whatever, Colonel,” snapped back Mori. “I have not relied on a man since my father and have no plans of starting now.”

“Well,” replied an irritated Stone. “Your father must have done a number on you…”

“Shut your mouth, Humani!” snapped Mori as she turned back toward Stone.

Stone could see her piercing green eyes burn with anger as she struggled to hold back her

rage. “You have no right to speak of him. You and your…You know what, never mind. Let’s just get the damn deer and get it back to the hut.”

“No problem,” said Stone, shocked by her response.

“Fine.”

Mori moved ahead of Stone by several meters as the two made their way down the hill and into the valley below without a word. Stone was the first to break the silence.

“I think it’s over there,” he said, pointing to the location where the deer had fallen.

“If it’s not too much trouble,” said Mori, “why don’t you dress it out while I get some wood down by that stream to carry the meat back to camp?”

“What the hell is your problem, Captain?” asked Stone.

“How about a little gratitude, you Xen pig? Thawatchin tata husteyA hitunkasan,” she cursed in her native tongue.

“What the hell did you say?” asked Stone, even more irritated now that she was speaking Terillian gibberish. “If you want gratitude,” replied Stone, “how about I show you just how grateful I am…I am grateful to the Terillians for starting this war, grateful for destroying my unit, for…” As he spoke he slid his hand to the knife on his waistbelt. 

“So, Colonel,” replied Mori as she gripped the handle of her sword, “I was wondering how long it would take you to break our agreement.”

“I will keep my word, Terillian,” he said coldly, “until a passage off the world is found. Then you will see my gratitude.”

“I will be ready, Xen slave,” spat Mori. “But until then, we need to get the damn meat back to our camp.”

Mori stared at Stone for a moment then turned toward the small stream. “Xen asshole,” she mumbled as she walked away.

“Terillian bitch,” said Stone under his breath as he pulled out his knife and began to gut the deer.

***

Stone had just begun his last cuts on the carcass when a thundering crash came from the woods to his right. As he turned toward the noise, a massive bear rushed from the dense undergrowth only feet from Stone’s position. Before he could react, a swat from a massive paw sent Stone flying. Crashing to the ground, Stone grabbed the only weapon within reach—a large stick lying on the ground.

Within seconds the massive animal was on top of him. Stone raised the club to fend off the beast but it snapped like a twig in the animal’s powerful jaws. Suddenly Stone heard a dull thud, and the bear looked away from him. Then another. This time the beast let out a loud roar before turning away from him and lunging toward the stream. Stone rolled over to see Mori, about fifty meters away, firing at the charging beast with her sidearm.

“Hoka Hay! I’m over here!” she shouted as the bear rushed toward her.

Knowing the pistol would do little but irritate the monster, Stone scrambled to his feet and grabbed the rifle laying nearby. Looking down the sights, the bear and Mori were lined up exactly with one another. He would have to be perfect or he would hit her.

Wounded and enraged, the massive bear roared as it quickly closed the ground between itself and Mori.

Stone saw Mori drop her empty pistol and draw her sword.

***

Standing with her sword by her side, she mumbled a prayer. “Great Spirit, give me the strength to overcome the spirit of my bear brother.”

The animal eclipsed the landscape in Mori’s view as it rushed her. Focused on Mori, his giant paws pounded into the ground and threw up large clumps of dirt as he launched himself closer to her with each leap.

“Let me show strength and courage and—”

Her prayer was interrupted by three loud percussions from Stone’s rifle. The bear stumbled and fell to the ground less than a meter from Mori’s feet.

She dropped her sword and fell to her knees, trying to regain her breath.