Universe of the Soul (6 page)

Senses flaring, Adri made no reply. She too had a bad feeling about the situation, leaving her adrenaline rushing and causing a soft humming in her blood. Her elegy was a bare thread of notes in her mind.

The corridor was long, winding, and had many offshoots. Adri left several of her troops at some of the wider intersections, watching the gloomy passageways warily. The main corridor ended abruptly in a wide room filled with unmanned Belligerent command stations. Instincts, already on the alert, kicked up another notch. It was a trap, had to be a trap. Adri was given a split second to consider her options. [All troops pull out! It's a trap! I repeat, all troops pull out!]

It was too late. The command room was suddenly filled with light as dozens of blasters opened fire from both above on a now visible catwalk, as well as from behind the command posts.

[Oduran to Rael! I've been hit, but it's not bad. The men left to guard the exit are gone. Our entrance point has been compromised. What are your orders?]

[Take your squad and find an alternate exit.]

[Understood, Oduran out.]

Dodging a blaster beam that streaked by her head, Adri backed out of the room, her mind racing to the backup plan. It had been a good setup – their scanners hadn't picked up any signs of organic life within the building. They obviously knew their tactics well enough to anticipate her moves here, as well new technology to hide their presence. Her squad was now pinned inside the building.

[Grayson to Oduran,]

[Oduran here, sir.]

[Just what is blocking the entrance we used?]

[It looked like a makeshift barricade, with troops behind it. I felt it unwise to advance,]

[Understood. Proceed with your orders. Grayson out.]

[Rael to Grayson,] Adri called on their private link, [What are you thinking?]

[I'm thinking we do the unexpected.]

[Excellent. Rael to Black squadron! All troops in my half get ready to storm the barricade blocking the exit!]

Corinthe City News- print edition

The Belligerent Coalition Has Attacked Our Peaceful Commonwealth! Are You Willing To Defend Her?

From the far reaches of our fair galaxy, an enemy has sprung that threatens our very way of life. Already, millions have died to keep you and your loved ones safe. Millions more still fight. Millions do their share in research, perfecting techniques to keep our home systems safe, earning the eternal glory reserved for heroes, and the great honor of defending the home of the enlightened.

What are you doing to serve your system?

ARE HUMACOMS TOO HUMAN?

Scientists Debate Possible Recalls of Humacom Personality Programs

Corinthe: Top researchers around the planet are debating the philosophical question, ‘are humacoms too human?' Recent studies show an unusually high percentage of disobedience in the latest models of all humacom designs, from securicoms to domesticoms, which apparently connect with these models' HPPs. “It appears that we have truly outdone ourselves with this technology,” says Dr. Morris Waverly, head of Interstellar Humacoms' research and development department.

“We have started mimicking human thought processes so well in our programs that it may be affecting their fundamental logic program. We have noted that because of an apparent conflict between the two programs, humacoms will compute a different logic that may agree with their master's orders. When faced with a logic crisis, most humacoms are programmed to default in favor of their own conclusions. Whether or

not this conflict merits a recall of all HPPs is yet to be seen.”

Despite skepticism on part of scientists, humacoms owners clamor for a resolution to the problem…

Cont. in Technology, pg 2

A
dri ran. Her breath hissed in and out as she kept up the cover fire for her retreating squad. Just ahead of her Gray was issuing orders to the two soldiers who led the retreat column as they encountered some well-placed sensor bombs in their path. It was nice to have an aide who actually fulfilled his role, she thought. The randomness of the thought made her grit her teeth and turn her mind deliberately to the task at hand.

The bomb tech was quickly brought forward and the two sensor bombs diffused in record time, but the delay had cost them a soldier and space between their advancing foes. More resistance was met at one of the intersections as the main corridor met another. Adri had anticipated this, and they passed through with minimal danger. Still, the situation was becoming desperate, as there were still several intersections to pass and the barricade that blocked the exit. The enemy's strategy had been well thought out. They had bypassed Adri's troops stationed at the intersections by removing wall panels and concealing themselves behind them, using them as secret passages.

[Oduran to Rael, we've found an unguarded exit in the north wing of the building. We are currently crossing the surrounding area under heavy fire. Casualties are unknown at this time.]

[Are you being pursued?] Adri demanded, pausing to turn and fire at a Belligerent soldier who moved too close to her firing range.

[Negative. Only as we were retreating through the building.]

[Good. Retreat with all haste to the transports. Have Sacion provide backup fire if the situation alters. Rael out.]

The setup was beginning to come clear to her now. Adri cursed softly. [Grayson, prep the forward troops for a frontal assault. We're only going to have one shot at getting out, so we need to make it count. I'm going to need you up there.]

[Yes, ma'am.]

***

“Everything is falling into place, just as you predicted.”

Hildana Kobane looked up from the palm sized security screen she had been studying. “Nervous about the success, little sister?” the screen lit up the deep bronze of her skin, highlighting her strong features. Her black hair hung down her back in a thick braid, but would soon be tucked up inside her helmet. Hildana's dark eyes looked over at her sister with amusement.

Giselle Kobane checked the charge level of her blaster the same way some women would check the contents of their evening bag. Unlike her sister, her features were delicate and distinctly feminine. While their coloring was the same, everything about Giselle was smaller, more refined. Her eyes did not reflect her sister's amusement. “Not so much the success, big sister, but the possibilities of the outcomes. We have a very tenacious, unpredictable opponent.”

Hildana laughed. “You're just sore that she woke up while you were in the room. Your stealth was sloppy.”

Giselle's delicate eyebrows furrowed into a frown. Her short hair swung at her chin. “I was not sloppy. She sleeps like an undarian.”

“And you're sore about that officer who threw your grenade back at you,” her sister teased.

“That was truly some amazing reflexes,” Giselle replied, almost approvingly.

Hildana's communicator crackled to life. [Control to Kobane. The Advance Force has passed the fourth checkpoint. Waiting on your orders.]

[This is Kobane. Prepare for the pincer movement. Standby for my arrival with Sergeant Kobane. Out.]

***

[We have a visual of the barricade,] Gray reported from the head of the squad. They had ceased to run, as the enemy had fallen a good distance behind them. He peered around the corner fast enough to ascertain how heavily the barricade was being guarded. [I've spotted five to ten troops behind the barricade. A handful of sensor bombs have been planted on the floor.]

[Affirmative, Grayson. Clear the hallway to prepare for an assault. The Belligerents have fallen behind for a reason; I think they're expecting a big explosion.] There was a pause as Adri directed the soldiers beside her to keep up the cover fire as blaster beams shot out around them from snipers around the corners. [I'm expecting good results. Rael out.]

Gray flexed his fingers to keep them limber as he took a moment to assess the situation. When a solution presented itself, he smiled grimly. [All troops, increase your personal shielding! On guard for shrapnel!]

With that warning, Gray pressed the release on one of his rationed grenades, set the timer, and with a silent prayer to any deity that was listening, raced around the corridor into the main hall and hurled the grenade for all he was worth. Falling with the momentum, he rolled through the corridor intersection and into the hallway across from the one his squad huddled in. The grenade flew over the sensor bombs, setting them off. A tearing explosion rent the corridors, expelling waves of superheated gas and shrapnel in all directions. Gray's grenade, propelled by the explosion, hurled farther than Gray could have thrown it, landing right behind the barricade. There was a brief, barely heard shout before a smaller detonation rent a large hole in the middle of the barricade.

[That was effective, Lieutenant,] Adri said dryly over the officer's link.

Gray's ears were still ringing from the sound, despite his helmet which protected him from most overbearing audio. [Thank you, ma'am.]

[Any injuries?]

[No, but I would be happy to refrain from any more tumbling for the rest of the evening, if at all possible.]

Adri laughed softly. [We'll see what we can do. How does the hall look now?]

Gray peered around what was left of the corner and into the corridor. [The bombs took out most of the hall, its black and smoking now. There's too much smoke to scan the barricade adequately.]

[Roger that.] Adri switched to the open communication channel. [Black squad, advance with caution. Visual is low, and heat sensing is unadvisable. We don't want any more surprises, so keep alert. Rael out.]

Gray moved back out into the hall to take the lead once again, picking his way carefully over the scorched walkway as steam and smoke swirled around him. He listened carefully as he moved, wary of another trap. Behind him, one of the soldiers commented that the enemy that had been chasing them was once again advancing within firing range. Despite the rising need to rush, Gray took his time. It was a relief to arrive at the barricade and find that those who had survived had already fled the structure. [Grayson to Rael. It looks like nobody's home.]

[Then get out, we need to evacuate as quickly as possible before our pursuers catch up.] Adri replied. Gray could hear the muffled sound of her ATF going off as she spoke. [I'll stay back and try to give you time.]

[Understood. Grayson out.]

The door was coded, and looked to be been sealed in case the code was overridden. Gray ordered one of his men to begin the task of prying the door open while he tore off the protective plate to the passcode box and began finagling with the wires. He wondered idly why people bothered with such measures as electronically locking a door when they knew the opposing side was always so good at unlocking it just as quickly.

[Sir,] one of his soldiers announced suddenly, [there are sounds of approaching troops!]

Gray continued to carefully rewire the passcode. [The rest of the squad?]

[There is no visibility at this time, sir!] The soldier replied.

[Keep alert.] He continued to recode calmly as the sound of blaster and ATF fire echoed loudly in the corridor. With a small grunt of satisfaction, the passcode light blinked unlocked. Seconds later, the soldier prying open the door managed to heave the mangled barrier open several inches. [Get that thing open!] Gray commanded, still calm although a stray beam of blaster fire whizzed past his head with alarming proximity.

Another soldier pushed forward to assist his comrade. Between the two of them, they managed to shove the door open wide enough to accommodate one man at a time, if he squeezed through sideways.

[Lieutenant Grayson, the L.C. is approaching with the rest of the squad at a rapid pace!] The lookout announced. [It looks like the Belligerents are hot on their tail!]

[Grayson, how's that door?] Adri demanded at almost the same time.

[Open, I'm evacuating the troops now.] Gray replied, giving the order to the troops surrounding him.

Adri eyed the corridor behind her as she made a controlled retreat at the rear of her squad. The smoke from the damage was dissipating slowly, leaving the passage hazy at best. The approaching enemy proceeded carefully, not making any rushes against their position. In Adri's estimation, that made them either understandably cautious (Grayson's grenade skills had surprised even her), or intimidated. The whole operation certainly didn't hint at intimidated, so they were dealing with a well-organized enemy that didn't have a death wish. Pity.

She followed her troops as they proceeded to squeeze through the doorway. When there were only two men left, it happened. Her adrenaline, already racing, picked up as something in her head started screaming in warning. [Get down! Get down!]

The sudden onslaught of blaster fire from all directions was deafening as both Adri and Gray dove down against the remnants of the barricade. One of the soldiers managed to dive sideways through the door, but the other was not so lucky. The body blocked the doorway and the blaster fire hindered any other movement.

They were pinned.

***

Hildana raised the blast shield on her helmet and smiled fiercely. “Got them cornered.”

“Big sister, do you desire to speak with them, or shall we proceed with the operation?” Giselle asked.

“Oh, I think we can allow ourselves to gloat a little bit.” Hildana signaled to her troops to cease fire before opening the main communication signal that would be picked up by the two Commonwealth troops pinned behind the barricade. [This is Lieutenant Commander Hildana Kobane of the Coalition of Planets' Advance Force! Surrender now and you will be dealt with leniency. Resist and we will be forced to remove all opposing body parts. Is that understood, Lieutenant Commander Rael?]

Lying in an incredibly awkward position against the barricade ruins, Adri clenched her teeth in barely restrained fury. [It appears my reputation has preceded me,] she replied flatly.

[Oh, indeed it has. Your exploits both in the void and on the ground are legend among the Coalition.] Adri could hear the smirk in Kobane's voice. [You would not believe what an honor this is for me to actually speak to you this way. And in such an…interesting position, too.]

Beside her, Gray nudged her leg and tilted the point of his ATF in the direction of the right side hallway that joined the main corridor at the door. Adri shook her head, nodding in the direction they had just come from, circling her finger to hint that the enemy had them completely surrounded. [Sorry that I can't say the same. I'm afraid I'm in a rather irritable mood at the moment, having had my sleep disturbed by one of your little cohorts,]

[I'm very sorry, for both our sakes, that she disturbed you, Rael.] Hildana replied. [If she had had the courtesy to be a little bit quieter, we would have been having this conversation last night instead of right now.]

[If she had been a little bit slower, we wouldn't need to be having this conversation at all, now would we?]

[Now, that wasn't nice.] The amusement had dropped from Kobane's voice. [I'm sure that was a very unpleasant thing to say to me, given the circumstances Lieutenant Commander Rael.]

Adri nodded to Gray and pointed to the ceiling. Many of the wide plates were sagging due to the explosions. [If you had wanted me to be civil, Kobane, you should have left me and my men alone.]

[Well, if you put it that way. Parlovi, move the troops in and collect our prisoners!]

Adri listened as the Belligerent troops began to move forward, a little too recklessly in their assertion that they had her and Grayson pinned. The sound echoed off of the scorched ground, sending her an eerily accurate picture of their location. [Gray, now!]

In tandem, both Adri and Gray aimed their ATF rifles to the ceiling and began firing. The stressed materials shrieked as they lost their precarious moorings to the ceiling beams and fell, taking down the rest of the ceiling with them. As the roof above their heads began to whirl through the air, both Advance Force troops rolled to the right, firing at the enemy soldiers that had stopped in confusion as the ceiling above them cracked and fell, raising a black dust of ash and debris that was nearly impossible to see through. Blasting down all those in their path, both Adri and Gray dashed down the corridor.

[That was a close call, Adri,] Gray gasped as the raced around another corner towards the exit used by the other half of the squad.

Dang it, did he just call her Adri again? [You know, I'm pretty sure I told you not to call me that, Lieutenant.]

[Why not? You called me Gray just now.]

[I did not.]

[I beg to differ.]

[Can you differ later? Enemy troops behind us. You take the rear.]

[Yes ma'am.]

As Gray began firing at the approaching enemies, Adri faced the front. They were almost there, just another turn…

Dead ahead, blocking the exit, stood an enemy soldier. She was a tall woman, with long dark hair hanging down past her shoulder and no helmet, dressed in the fatigues of the Belligerent Coalition. Her face showed a bright smirk.

“Caught you.” Hildana said.

Adri saw the beam of the blaster fire as if everything were in slow motion. There was no way to avoid it. If she moved a little to either side, it would hit Grayson as he defended the rear. But they couldn't end here. They
wouldn't
. In that instant before impact, Adri felt something shift inside of her, as though some other entity was stretching, wishing to break free. The corridor shifted and changed somehow, as though the colors had all faded, leaving only the blaster beam in clear focus. Her mind started screaming
block it! Block it!

Gray turned just in time to see the beam streak across the corridor straight at Adri. Yet, just when it should have hit, the beam flashed as though hitting a shield and vanished. Gray blinked in stupefaction, but Adri was still moving, not having lost any momentum, and was now firing on Kobane, forcing the enemy to retreat. Gray followed, keeping up a steady fire as Adri worked with the passcode on the door. [Reinforcements are coming,] he warned.