Outward Borne (25 page)

The blast was followed within
seconds by a terrific gust of wind that rushed into the conduit
from the ObLaDa habitat. The force of the explosion had ruptured
the air lock and the pressurized, oxygen-rich air rushed into the
burning conduit. It fanned the flames that reached into the
People’s deck and beyond. Service bots were rushed into the
emergency and were able to clear the doors and close off the
opening, but not before the breach caused a serious loss of
pressure within the ObLaDa habitat. The four Das on that level were
put in some distress, gasping for air and were rendered helpless
until the atmosphere could be replenished. The only good fortune
the Das retained that day was that the power lines into the
habitats remained largely intact and the module, though isolated
and damaged, could continue to operate.

The Gracks lost three more
fighters in the explosion, both Soboc and Frapkik were killed, and
another was caught in the conduit and badly burned. Yacork himself
was literally blown out of the tube, landing on the floor between
the conduit and the human habitat, dazed but unhurt. Thus far, the
Gracks had blundered about, as they never did on their home turf.
Durack had no choice but to withdraw to their hated habitat to
regroup and recover. The fire, with little fuel and in an
oxygen-rich atmosphere, burned itself out quickly. Exhaust fans,
which continuously pulled air from the habitat decks, cleared the
smoke and the metal girders began to cool.

As soon as it was feasible, Durack
sent Kitrak, a young and unusually small Grack, back into the
conduit to secure entry points until they could return in force.
Kitrack’s squad crawled into the conduit. The walls were still warm
from the fire and the air still held the stench from the fire, but
they were able to move cautiously toward the base of the module.
The explosion had bucked the openings into the conduit and dim
light streamed in from the lower decks. The first opening they came
to was wide open. The doors had been blown completely off. The
Gracks stepped cautiously onto this dimly lit deck. The areas
around the conduit were intact and seemed to be deserted, but they
must make sure. It appeared to hold another habitat.

Chapter 15 No
Alternative

“
Did you feel it? The floor
bounced and everything shook. It almost knocked me down. Did you
hear the boom? What was it? Do you know? What do the Oldies
say?”

“
Don’t call them Oldies and yes I
heard it, of course, and no, I have no idea what it was, and the
ObLaDas have said nothing. Now calm down.”

“
But, mother!”

“
Clovic, I know no more than you
do. At least it has stopped. I hope nothing was damaged, whatever
it was. Where were you, anyway? It took you long enough to get
here.”

“
Heneric and I were practicing
splat by the track. All the dogs started barking when it happened;
you never heard anything like it. We had to settle them down.
Anyway, Tonbert asked us to take the big hounds for a run. Can
we?”

“
I guess so, if Ton needs you to,
but take Gussie in case they get too wild.”

The hounds had once been large
fierce dogs, raised to hunt. They could corner wolves and bring
down elk and would tear the carcass to pieces in their frenzy if
not stopped. Around home, one-on-one, they were now friendly, happy
dogs with a tendency to sleep a lot. The tall hounds had developed
a reddish coat in recent generations and were fast, high-endurance
runners that had been bred and trained on the Outward to racing. It
was great sport, and each pampered dog had its reputation and
following.

Heneric and Clovic, along with old
Gussie, a mixed breed mutt, collected the six hounds and brought
them outside the compound. The long service corridor ran the entire
length of the habitat and was the longest straight stretch they
had. Gussie was a ten-year-old house dog, not one-third the hounds’
size, but she had more status and determination than any of them.
She kept her eye on anything that she considered inappropriate
behavior, no running off, no fighting, leave the boys alone, don’t
tear stuff up. If they misbehaved, she was ready to charge into the
fray and set things right. It was her job, and she was not afraid
to do it.

“
Which end do you
want?”

“
You take the dogs to the back and
I will run up to the portal,” said Heneric. The boys intended to
station themselves at each end of the long hall, barely in sight of
one another, and send the dogs running to the far end and, with
great whooping and hollering, turn the exited animals around and
send them back again. The hounds had done this many times and knew
the routine. The humans and their dogs were the only species on
that deck and had been allowed the run of the floor, though no one
had ever been anywhere else.

The dogs were always excited about their run,
but this time something was different. They closed up into a pack
once they entered the hallway and milled around with some growls
and sharp warning barks. Even Gussie was in with them.

“
What’s up?” Clovic wondered
aloud.

“
Don’t much know, seems like they
smell something. Hey! Where are they going?” said
Heneric.

“
Let’s get ’em. Hey Gussie, what
the matter with you?”

The hounds, plus Gussie, took off
down the hall and disappeared around the far corner.

“
They’re going to the shuttle.
Doesn’t it look hazy? I think I smell smoke. Lets go get them,”
Heneric called as he ran after the beasts.

“
I smell Oldies,” Clovic
yelled.

Kitrak had his four fighters had
spread out to search the hallways surrounding the People’s habitat.
It was a larger building than their own, but they recognized some
of the same components. The doors into the place seemed to be
secure. If it were another habitat, he thought that these aliens,
whatever type they were, would be confined within its walls. If
they could find no entryways into the habitat or onto the level
below, the deck could be closed off and passed by. He would leave a
guard, perhaps near the conduit doors, but they would not try to
occupy the enclosure. Not after their experience with the
Frits.

Kitrak heard the barking dogs
before they came around the corner, but not by much. He turned in
the direction of the sound as the first dog skidded into the open
space between the conduit and the habitat entry doors. They were
not far away. The attack was quick and fierce and Kitrak was alone.
He could tell in an instant that these were born fighters, pack
animals, and he was in danger even with his superior size and
strength. He called out as loudly as he could and backed against
the wall holding out his clumsy little club. There was no flaw in
the attack as the dogs came toward him. He was able to hit one of
them before he was bitten. They tried to cripple him, but could not
do it and he was able to knock them away, with some hurt, he
hoped.

Yubek came around the corner, but
she was immediately set upon. Kitrack could tell that they had
gotten at her face and that she was in some pain, dropping her cub
to push them away. He could see nothing further as two of the dogs
came back at him and he desperately slashed to keep them off. It
ended soon. The last two Gracks ran into the hallway and caused
beasts to back away. Just before he got to the conduit, Kitrack saw
two other creatures come around the habitat and call the dogs
off.

The hounds were many generations
removed from the wilds of northern Europe, but these hunting dogs
had retained much of their attacking instinct. The pack quickly
formed and, as of old, sought to separate an individual from the
herd and attack in a coordinated group. The dogs could smell other
aliens on the deck, but saw that they had caught an isolated
individual and attacked without pause. Tonsi, the first hound to
regain her balance, ran directly at the alien. Roset and Jorie
circled to both sides, and Rupe came up from the rear. Roset
followed with a mock lunge and, along with Tonsi, drew the Grack’s
full attention. The alien was too big for a killing bite, so Roset
and Jorie closed on the left hind leg, grabbing skin and sinew with
the intent to cripple. They tore with full strength, but the heavy
skin of the little Grack was too tough. They did not let go until
the Grack had broken Roset’s back and Jorie’s neck with its short
metal club.

Yubek had just appeared at the far
corner. Gussie, with Ribber and Rouge, ran past the Grack and tried
to scare away this new threat. Gussie stood, barking, as a decoy,
but the Grack ignored her, she was too small, and turned to follow
the larger dogs. Gussie continued her fight, and when the Grack
bent over in a protective crouch, she jumped into its face, or
whatever you might call the dark pits that lined the lump on its
shoulders. Ribber grabbed its arm, but was shaken off. The Grack
kept turning, trying to back against a wall for some protection.
Tonsi and Rupe left the wounded alien and ran at the next. They
joined the fight without pause ripping the flesh of both legs. The
Grack got in one blow; a dull thump as the stubby club hit Rouge,
cracked ribs.

The dogs backed away when the last
two more Gracks came loping down the corridor. Without their
numerical advantage, there was little that they could do against
the bigger, stronger beasts. They would have withdrawn to harass
and tire the wounded, had they the chance, but Heneric and Clovic
ran headlong into the mass of Gracks, dogs, blood, and bodies. They
saw the thing hobbling away. They were stunned. What was it? Then
they saw the dogs. Two were dead, another injured, and the rest
were cowering and growling before the menacing Gracks.

The boy’s first impulse was to
turn around and run back through the hall, but they did not. They
stayed to retrieve their brave animals. Calling out, they attracted
the attention of the Gracks in the process. One of the aliens saw
the boys, and turned. It was ten steps away, already injured, so
nothing more could be done. Gussie responded first, hearing Clovic,
she turned barking, calling the hounds to her, she ran, giving the
beast as much leeway as possible, those that could raced to the
access door without another look back, relieved to have gotten
away, but two lay dead.

Heneric pulled the emergency door
open and let the dogs run in. Clovic came up, out of breath, and
they pulled the stiff door shut, closed the latch, hoping that it
would hold. They tried to calm the dogs, all the time expecting the
Gracks to attack the hatchway. Heneric heard a scraping sound and
froze with fright, but nothing more happened. Walking now, the boys
and dogs went through the hall toward the living quarters. Heneric
started shaking as the adrenalin wore down and the shock at what he
had seen sunk in.

Gunhild saw them first and knew
something was clearly wrong. The dogs were more then winded, heads
and tails down, Rouge struggling to walk, and the boys, pale and
frightened. They did not answer her calls at first. Only after
Clovic saw her did they respond. “Mother,” he ran to her and
started sobbing, a boy again, so did Heneric, between gasps they
choked out what they had seen, giant aliens, Roset and Jorie dead.
The hounds, in their own way, told more of the story. All were
bloody, Gussie as well, Ribber and Tonsi had attacked something,
their mouths bleeding. Rouge had been hit hard and was injured.
Gunhild helped them back to her rooms, gave them some cold water,
and tried to calm them down.

Godomir came running through the
corridor when he heard of the trouble the boys were in. They were
too excited to communicate anything clearly except the presence of
giant, hostile aliens outside their habitat; aliens that were
strong enough to kill two of their largest hounds. This was
sufficient to give him the gist of the conflict. He set out to call
for an emergency meeting, everyone to come, immediately. Ragnar ran
to the communications center to contact the ObLaDas and find out
what was happening. Godomir asked some young girls to run the
hallways to hurry people along. Magnaric and Ebert were sent off to
collect materials that could be used to make weapons.

By the time the meeting started,
Ragnar was already worried. He had tried repeatedly to reach the
ObLaDas, but received no response. It was unprecedented. Contact
with the Das was always open. It would be a catastrophe if they had
already been attacked, or if the ship’s equipment had been damaged.
The hallways buzzed with rumors of fighting, monsters, and
explosions. Were they in danger? Were the Oldies already dead?
Godomir began talking rapidly, his voice high pitched, hardly
thinking. “We must prepare to defend ourselves. In the next hours,
we will need to find weapons and organize.” Were there any images
of what happened? All was confusion when Ragnar called from the
back of the room. He had finally received a communication from the
ObLaDas. They wanted to address the meeting.

The room quickly
settled in hushed expectation. The People had
never seen an ObLaDa, or even an image of one, and rarely
heard directly from one of them, but they had acquired a quiet
faith in their leadership over the years. The room grew silent,
anxious to hear the stilted words of the computer translation. It
was Captain LemTer himself. In his measured way, LemTer told them
of the disastrous events of the day. He described the Gracks, their
size, aggressiveness, and their war-prone heritage, and how they
had broken out of their habitat and attacked a small, defenseless
species. They did not stop there, he explained, but went on to
break into the conduit were now able to move between decks and
throughout the rest of the module. Somehow they had set off an
explosion in the main conduit shaft that killed some of them and
drove the rest back into their own quarters, but the explosion has
created a grave problem. We have weapons, he claimed, powerful
lasers, technology used in vaporizing oncoming micro-meteors, and
the fly bots. All of these were being brought to the Filim module
to contain the Gracks, but they were lost in the conduit explosion
and the module entry port has been badly damaged. Nothing will be
unable get through until it is repaired. There are other ObLaDas
elsewhere on the ship, but they are not able to get here. As of now
there are only ten of us within the Filim module. We ObLaDas, he
said, are not fighters. We will be confined and alone within this
module, for several days at least, and are almost defenseless.
LemTer was not optimistic. If the Gracks were able to take over the
module or kill the ObLaDas, it is probable that the Outward Voyager
would be damaged beyond repair and the mission ended. The Gracks
will have many advantages if a battle was to be fought, but they
have only a very small population, LemTer added hopefully.
Their community
had no
more than t
wenty fighters and several have
already been killed or injured.
The Gracks
must be overcome. It is a matter of survival. That was his message
and his plea for help.