Grey War Saga 1: Twilight of Innocence (14 page)

Brian stepped outside
of the Freedom and found Myden looking things over.

“Something evil
lurks down below,” Myden said as the human joined him.

“You can sense
it too,” Brian said.

Brian’s com
beeped.

“I have some bad
news,” Seles said over the com.

“Let’s hear it,”
Brian said.

“Commander
Baeron and I were poking around under Mya’s shop when we encountered three
Greys dressed for ground combat,” Seles said. “I don’t think they’re alone.”

“They aren’t,”
Myden said.

“How many do you
estimate are down here?” Baeron asked over the com.

“The ships you
refer to as planet killers are normally reserved for large scale combat or exploration,”
Myden said. “Before the machine god was activated a few were equipped with
large scale gravity jump systems for transporting ground forces. If the power
is the same as back then they could’ve moved a hundred thousand soldiers to the
underground.”

“Are you saying
there are a hundred thousand enemy soldiers down here?” Baeron asked.

“At least that many,”
Myden said.

“We can’t use
our mobile suits in the sewers and sublevels,” Brian said.

“Then grab some
pulse grenades and get down here,” Seles said.

“I’ve called in
every available soldier,” Baeron said. “What do you think they are after?”

Brian looked at
one of the tallest metal spires on the surface. “They’ll go after the
atmospheric processing centers.”

“I’ll reroute
most of my soldiers there then,” Baeron said. “I’ll head down into the
sublevels myself as well.”

“I’m going with
him,” Seles said.

“I’ll take care
of things up here first and then head down,” Brian said. He touched his com to
connect with everyone nearby. “This is Captain Peterson speaking. We’ve
discovered that during the last battle the Greys transported a large number of
ground troops into the sublevels of Dega Jul. All civilians are to avoid the
basements and sewers for the time being. All officers participating in the
recovery operation are to arm themselves immediately.”

Kyli stepped out
of her Phase Rakna and ran over. “Captain, what about the rest of us?”

“I want you,
Jesela, and Grigon to stay with the ship for now,” Brian said. “Even though our
enemies are foot soldiers they may attack the surface at any time.”

“I’ll keep a
squadron of mobile suits on watch at all times,” Kyli said before leaving.

Brian locked the
helmet of his exoskeleton into place. “So old man, are you interested in some
hand to hand combat?”

Myden drew his telepathic
staff and extended it to full length. A second later his black exoskeleton
covered his body and head. Brian looked at the cover over Myden’s face.

“That looks
intimidating, you know that?”

“I earned the
rank of general through combat,” Myden said. “Let’s go.”

* *
*

Seles and Baeron
were in the first sublevel of Dega Jul that served as the storm sewer. Because
of dust and ash from the surface the water was colored black. Seles used the
night vision and heat sensors in the exoskeleton while Baeron opted for a
shoulder light. The two trudged through the water and came to a split. On the
other side were three Minan soldiers. They ran over to Baeron.

“This area is
clear commander,” the first one said.

“But we lost
contact with team thirty one in this sector,” the second one said.

“Continue
sweeping the area as per your orders,” Baeron said.

“Yes sir,” the
three said before heading down a different hallway.

“We could be
down here for years and not find all of them,” Seles said.

Baeron laughed,
“All too true.”

They went down
another hallway and found a number of maintenance rooms. The doors were blasted
off their hinges from what looked like explosives. Baeron shined his light into
one of the rooms before signaling Seles.

“How many?” she
asked.

“Five,” Baeron
answered. “They seem busy with something.”

“I’ll go in
shield first,” Seles said.

Baeron nodded in
agreement as she extended the shield on her left arm. Before walking into the
room she turned on the power system and covered her body with a glowing energy
shield. With her
rakna
blade in hand Seles slowly made her way through
the elongated chamber. Baeron stayed at the door with his axe in hand. As she
crept in the five Greys turned and aimed their weapons. Flashes of purple light
filled the room when she charged and slashed her sword. She quickly dispatched
the first four while the last one hid behind a metal pillar.

“I can offer you
a way out of this Lady Daevon,”
a voice said in Seles’s mind.
“Give
Brian to me and I’ll spare all of your lives. All you need to do is submit and
this can be over.”

“Shut up!” she
shouted.

“I can’t be
silenced by those who need me,”
the voice said.
“Unlike Kali I’m a
real god. I can save you, I can save everyone.”

She rolled and
put the tip of her blade at the last Grey soldier’s throat. “Why did they have
to die?”

“They died
because they resisted,”
the voice said.
“The path to peace is impossible
the way your organization uses. Peace can only be obtained through absolute
order. I can grant order to the universe.”

“The only order
you seek is to control everyone,” Seles said.

“Control is what
mortals need, lest chaos reigns,”
the voice said.

Seles thrust the
blade forward and cut the Grey’s throat. “Then let it.”

After she was finished
she checked the console the Greys were accessing and found they were turning
off the security systems throughout the underground areas.

“Who were you
talking to?” Baeron asked as he turned the security systems back on.

“They’re messing
with me using telepathy,” Seles said. “It’s infuriating.”

“Keep your cool
and we’ll live,” Baeron said. He stepped back from the console on the wall. “There,
it’s done.”

The lights in
the area turned on and the security system went on with it. From numerous
points automated pulse rifles emerged from the ceiling. In a number of spots
groups of Grey soldiers came under attack. The Greys countered by using
explosives to destroy the security measures.

“Looks like it’s
still a mess out there,” Baeron said. “Do you want me to take point?”

“No, this armor
gives me the advantage,” Seles said.

“I’ll have to
ask the Confederation for armor like it,” Baeron said.

“It’ll cost them
a fortune,” Seles said.

“Money is the
least of their concerns at the moment,” he said as they resumed their search.

* *
*

Both Brian and
Myden found themselves going deeper and deeper under Dega Jul. After a few
hours of searching they came across an area filled with Greys. Myden used his
power to cover their presence.

“What are they
doing down here?” Brian asked.

“In the upper
levels they’re shutting down the security systems monitoring the underground,”
Myden answered. “Down here the focus seems to be on the power systems.”

“Are they trying
to shut down the power?” Brian asked.

“No, they’re
rerouting it,” Myden said. “There’s something down below they don’t want us to
find.”

“Should we
strike or continue?” Brian asked.

“Call in ten
teams and direct them to this chamber,” Myden said. “We should continue going
down.”

“Alright,” Brian
said before turning on his com. “Teams eleven to twenty, this is Captain
Peterson speaking. We’ve found a chamber with a high concentration of Grey
activity. I’m sending over the coordinates now. Please deal with it as soon as
possible.”

“We’ll be there
shortly captain,” one of the Minan soldiers responded.

Brian and Myden
used a service shaft to head down another level. When Brian looked at the
numbers he noticed they were five levels under the surface. Both of them felt
something pulse through their minds as they walked down an ancient hallway.

“This area
doesn’t look like it’s maintained very well,” Brian said.

“These levels
were built back when the Confederation had only five members,” Myden said.
“Look there.”

Brian saw what
Myden was pointing at. Near the door were some hieroglyphs of the Grey
language.

“Two thousand
years ago the atmospheric processing plants were activated,” Myden said. “Dega
Jul was like the planet you call Venus. It was the triumph of our races in that
day to turn a barren globe into a paradise.”

“I hope someday
Venus will look like Dega Jul,” Brian said. “But for now I hope Earth stays
alive.”

“The Mylor would
sacrifice their home before letting Earth be destroyed,” Myden said.

“What makes you
say that?” Brian asked.

“The incident at
Geluke Don is the sin the Mylor will never find forgiveness for,” Myden said.
“In the blink of an eye two worlds died. They didn’t pull the trigger, but they
gave the Don the weapons. It was inevitable really, because the Gelukes and Don
never would see eye to eye. One was the master and the other the slave. To say
it was tragic doesn’t give it justice. Two planets like Earth locked together
in an eternal dance. The chance of life emerging on both near was nearly zero,
and intelligent life even more rare. Alden may never see anything like it
again.”

“You’re pretty
open these days,” Brian said.

“Yes, but the
real tragedy isn’t what the Mylor did, it’s what my people are doing,” Myden
said. “The Mylor did what they did with good intentions. The machine god has no
good intentions. What I fear is hidden under here is an interface of that
being.”

“I can feel it,”
Brian said.

“If it is the
machine will control all functions on Dega Jul,” Myden said. “Brian, I know you
don’t want to, but you may have to use your power.”

“I’m ready when
you need me,” Brian said.

The two
continued moving downward; as they did so the hallways were better maintained
with more Grey hieroglyphs on the walls.

* *
*

Both Seles and
Baeron threw a pair of pulse grenades into a larger chamber on the fourth
sublevel. Once the explosions cleared they found over twenty Grey soldiers dead
in the room. Seles scanned the area and found nothing was left alive in the
room.

“They’re getting
more numerous by the moment,” Baeron said.

Above them the
sound of pulse grenades and rifle fire could be heard.

“Sounds like
teams eleven to twenty found their quarry,” Seles said.

“Indeed,” Baeron
said.

After he was
done fixing the power settings he and Seles leaned against the wall for a
break. She removed her helmet and took a drink of water from a container on her
belt. As she sipped she noticed Baeron was shaking a little. He quickly took an
injector out and hit himself in the neck with it. After a moment he sighed with
relief and put the injector back into his side bag.

“What was that?”
Seles asked.

“It was a dose
of anti-rut,” Baeron answered.

“I forgot your
species has that issue,” Seles said.

“We do as well
with the medicine,” Baeron said. “But without it, I’d be reduced to a mindless
creature.” He looked at his reflection in his axe. “When we’re normal, Minans
are people of great wisdom, courage, and honor. When the rut comes our minds
are clouded and the darker side emerges.”

“I’ve noticed
Minan mercenaries are more violent this time of the year,” Seles said.

“It’s mating
season back on our homeworld,” Baeron said. “Even removed from the moon we call
home our instincts are strong. But violence isn’t the worst the rut does to
us.”

“There are worse
things than violence?” Seles asked. “I find that hard to believe.”

“Then let me
tell you of my first case as an officer,” Baeron said. “It was about twenty
years ago when I was assigned my first mission on my own. It was the height of
the rutting period for my people. Near the Kalaidian district a string of
violent rapes and murders were being committed against your people. The suspect
was a Minan whose mind had been corrupted. Never before had we seen one of my
species do what he did to another. It was as if he was using their bodies as
toys for his sick pleasure. That was when I met her. She and her mother were serfs
from your homeworld. They had fled on a transport ship for Dega Jul and were
getting their bearings. That was when he followed them back to their apartment.
I was walking the streets when I heard a terrible scream. I ran in and with all
my strength bashed the door down. I found him finished with the mother as her
body lay bloody and broken on the floor. The young daughter was knocked out
against the wall. With rage filling me I charged the monster. As we fought my
axe was thrown from my hands. He braced himself on top and started strangling
me. As life faded from my eyes I saw the head of my axe punch through his
chest. That young Kalaidian girl saved my life and her own. When she looked at
her dead mother tears came to her eyes. I held her for a long time and tried to
calm her. As the months passed she was able to speak again and eventually
smile. I paid her tuition when she went to the Kein Academy. I go and see her
whenever I can to catch up on things. Now she’s the leader of the Avoni’s
mobile suit team, Meldi of the Whitehawk.”