Wrath of the Void Strider (15 page)

Chapter 11

Landing struts deployed as the
Sanguine Shadow
’s drop thrusters fired.  Crystalline groves shattered into glittering blue dust under the weight of the starship.  Her engines powered down, and a boarding ramp descended from the forward module amidst fierce winds.

Clad in a suit of combat armor, Collins led Gavin and Cajun from the forward hold.  Bundled in winter clothing, they carefully picked their way across the landscape, keeping to the trail Collins blazed, headed for the mercenary starship’s scattered wreckage.  “Do you really expect to find any survivors?” asked Cajun, lightheaded as he exerted himself in the thin atmosphere.

“Wouldn’t be right not to check,” replied Collins.  He broke off a bright green crystal spear and tossed it aside.  “Besides, we’re not just here for survivors.  The mercs’ black box might offer some meaningful insights.”

Gavin leaned against a glassy outcropping, closing his eyes as he gazed remotely upon the heart of the wreckage.  He shivered and reported, “It’s messy.  I don’t see how anyone could’ve survived that.”

Collins replied, “Still, it’s right to check.  Miraculous, what luck can see a man through.”

It wasn’t long before they arrived at the crash site.  Twisted metal reached up from the wounded earth, smoldering amidst the exploded remains of the energy canon.  Gavin and Cajun kept their distance as determined winds sent up spirals of embers.  Collins marched into the thick of it as jags of lightning sundered the sky, and thunder crashed.

For some time, he sifted through the destruction.  He found human remains throughout, men who were broken by the fall and scattered by the pieces of their starship.  Under a blackened section of outer hull, he uncovered the body of a mountainous man.  Tapping his forearm interface, Collins scanned the body and raised his hand.  “He’s still alive!  Cajun, I’m bringing him out to you.”  Cautiously, he lifted away the rent chunk of steel.

“Wait,” said Cajun, though his comm crackled.  “He could be impaled.  If you move him, it could kill him.”

Collins raised his arms uncertainly.  “You want me to carry you in?”

Cajun dryly chuckled.  “No, I got this.”  He climbed toward the wreckage, with Gavin in tow.

“Not you, Gavin,” said Collins.  “Stay put.”

Tapping his comm, Gavin nodded and said, “Okay.”  He shivered as he shoved his hands in his jacket pockets.

At last, Cajun stood at Collins’s side, and Collins moved to provide some protection from the winds.  Cajun examined the wounded mercenary.  “He’s unconscious, and it’s a good thing that he is.”  He retrieved and set aside an assortment of guns, knives and grenades.  Glancing up at Collins, he said, “He’s safe to move.  It’ll probably be hours before he comes to, but we should bind him, just in case.”  He picked up a tree stump of an arm and let it drop with a thud.

“You have anything?”

Cajun patted his pockets.  “Not really.”

“We’ll ask for a pickup and take care of it on the shuttle.”  He resumed his search through the wreckage, until he triumphantly held aloft a soot-stained data cube.

“Is that the black box?” asked Cajun.

Collins answered, “Should be.  It’s got the right labels, and the seal’s unbroken.”  Glancing Gavin’s way, he said, “Can you take a look around to make sure?”

“Of course,” he answered, his teeth clattering.  Closing his eyes, he searched the site with his remote vision.  After some time, he pointed to his left and reported, “There’s a few more data cubes over that way, but they aren’t marked.  That’s all I could find.”

“That’ll do.”  He smiled as he gripped the black box.  “I’m calling it in.”

“Great,” said Cajun.  “It’s freezing out here!”  He stored the mercenary’s weapons in his first aid duffle and stood up straight.

·· • ··

Within the confines of the number one cargo module, it was dim, and the air was cool.  Outside, the wind howled and thunder boomed.  Jenn Chelsea rested at the end of a mechanical arm as her teammates sat within the netting and upon the chairs around her.  “Captain told us to wait for a pickup,” she relayed.

Taryn asked, “How long will it take?”

“Not long.  She’s doing a flyover to make sure the mercs didn’t leave anyone else on the surface.”

“Good idea.”

Valerie shook her head and sank back into the netting.  “We’re hunting down survivors, now?”

Jenn smirked.  “Hardly, but there’s a chance they deployed more than the one sniper.  She’s securing the landing zone.”

Casting a cool glance toward Takeo, Valerie stated, “Nice shot, by the way.”

Takeo frowned.  “I’d say thanks, but that didn’t sound much like a compliment.”

As a tense moment settled in, Taryn cleared her throat and said, “Hey, Jenn.  How
did
you meet the captain?”

Glad for the change of subject, she began, “Right!  I’m glad you followed up.”  She leaned forward, folding her hands over her knees.  “It was about three years ago.  I had been an accomplished demolitionist, but when the RA was disbanded, I found myself struggling to make ends meet.  My particular skillset wasn’t opening any doors to a proper career, though I had won the attention of several unsavory types.  Passionate gentlemen that enjoy the occasional explosion in the name of God and country, and who aren’t used to hearing no.”

She glanced briefly toward the ceiling.  “So there I am, sitting in the pub, being talked to by a pair of zealous young idealists when the good captain steps in and asks if they wouldn’t mind discussing my rates… outside.  They had the pleasure of meeting D’Arro, I expect, but I can’t say for certain, as I never saw them again.  When she came back in, she bought a round of scotch for everyone, and she sat down at my table.  Mister Collins and Miss Valerie sat down, too.  We shared stories, and when we had all said our piece, she invited me to give the
Shadow
a try.  She had need of a good demolitionist, for the particularly stubborn bits of wreckage, as well as the odd quarry or two.  It seemed like a good match, so I came aboard.”  She folded her hands in her lap.  “Haven’t found any place else that feels so much like home, and I don’t expect I will.”

Taryn smiled.  “That’s a very sweet story.”

From outside, they heard the whine of the cargo shuttle’s engines as it touched down.

Takeo said, “It sounds like our ride’s here.”

Jenn nodded.  “Aye.”  She hopped down from the loader arm, landing with a sound thump on the deck.  “Let’s not keep the good captain waiting.”

Gavin, Cajun and Collins met them in the cargo hold.  “Who’s that?” asked Jenn, nodding toward the badly wounded captive.  His wrists and ankles were bound with zip ties, secured to the rails of a medical cot.

“One of the mercenaries,” said Cajun.  “He’s broken up pretty bad, and I’m not sure he’ll survive, but we’re going to take him back to the
Shadow
and see what we can do for him.”

Regarding him questioningly, Taryn said, “You guys are way too nice.  He tried to kill us!”

Cajun smiled patiently.  “That’s the difference between mercenaries and salvagers.”

With a shrug, she raised her brows and sat down on the deck.  “I hope it doesn’t come back to bite us.”

After the landing team had boarded, Zerki ferried them back to the
Sanguine Shadow
.  She docked in the aft hangar bay, where the crew set to storing their weapons.  After helping Cajun move the mercenary to the medical bay, Collins visited the forward hold and exited his armor.

Zerki joined her crew as they crowded into the elevator.  She tapped the number 3 button, and the lift glided into motion.  To her surprise, a cheer rang up from the crew as the doors opened to reveal the crowded observation deck.  Emerging from the lift, they shared hugs and laughter with the rest of their shipmates.  Fogg took the form of a playful mechanical pup.

Krane switched on the lounge’s entertainment center, and ambient dance music filled the air.

Wearing a contented smile, Zerki looked on as people dreamed aloud, their heads filled with visions of wealth.  Takeo reached for Filan’s hand.  With an adoring gaze, she took it, and they let the music guide their movements.  A few couples paired off, and others just danced to the bass-driven sounds.

Cajun and Collins appeared, bearing trays of water and breads rolls. 

“Sorry,” Cajun announced, and he set down his things.  “It’s all we could find in the galley.  But…”  He reached into his pockets and slowly, dramatically produced two bottles of scotch.  “There’s my personal stash.”  He held high the amber spirits, and another round of cheers echoed through the starship.

“Captain,” said Collins as he set down his tray and pressed the black box into Zerki’s hand.

A bright smile dawned over her face, and she rested against the wall.  “Thanks.”  Absently, she turned the data cube in her grip.

With a polite nod, he vanished into the crowd.

“You don’t dance?” Gavin asked, and her cheer gave way to surprise.  He offered her a roll and a cup of water.

“Sorry, I didn’t see you.”  Her smile returned, but the glow was gone.  With a shake of her head, she answered, “No, I don’t dance.  Not anymore.”  She took the water and waved away the bread.  “No thanks.”

He leaned against the wall next to her and crossed his arms.  “I don’t dance, either.”  He considered a moment.  “Unless I’ve had enough to drink.  Of course, I’m not sure it’s actually called ‘dancing,’ what I do.  Either way, it’s not pretty.”  He bobbed his head to the beat.  “Does that count as dancing?”

Zerki chuckled, her smile warm again.  “I’m sure you’re fine.”

He craned his head around to meet her eyes, his expression overly dire, and she snickered.  “No, I’m really awful at it.  You must never put alcohol in my hands when there’s music playing.  I can’t…”  His mouth froze a moment, and he playfully gripped her shoulders.  “I can’t stress this enough!”

She laughed and took up his forearms, easing them away.  “Noted,” she happily replied.

Gavin looked back to the busy room and resumed his rhythmic head bobbing.

She stepped away.  Drawing a deep breath, she cupped her hands over her mouth and shouted, “I need your attention!”  The music quieted, and her crew regarded her.  “I’m giving us thirty minutes of R&R, but time is not on our side.  We’ve got to start cutting and gathering as soon as we’re done here, if we want to fill the bins before Lodoxol realizes what happened to his mercenaries.”

A murmur of confirmations answered her, and she said with wink, “As you were.  Don’t get too drunk.”

The music returned to its previous volume, along with the good cheer of her crew.  She glanced back to the wall and found Valerie talking with Gavin.  He engaged in some facial buffoonery, choked himself, and she laughed hard enough to bow forward.  “Good for you, Val,” Zerki whispered, and she made her way toward the corridor beyond.

From behind her, Gavin called out, “Captain, hold on a sec!”

She paused and regarded him sidelong.  “What’s up?”

“I guess I owe you dinner,” he said, and he smiled.  He saluted and hurried back to Valerie’s side.

Zerki closed her eyes for a moment and laughed quietly through her nose.  “Right,” she muttered, and she exited the observation deck.

·· • ··

Krane remotely piloted the
Sanguine Shadow
’s cargo modules closer to the crash site, positioning them near what was unanimously decided to be Behemothylax’s head.  When they were in place, the crew earnestly set to cutting away everything they could.  Working together, they loaded their plunder into the depths of the bins, where robotic arms gripped, sorted and stored the salvage.

Zerki watched, perched upon a nearby crystalline hill, lost in thought.  Cajun’s face appeared on her tablet, pulling her from her reverie.  Urgently, he whispered, “Captain, I really need you in the med bay, right now.”

“On my way.”  She stored her tablet and hopped down, hurrying for the aft hangar.

Moments later, she stood at Cajun’s side as he studied the mercenary’s biological scans.  With grim regard, he positioned the display to face her directly.  “He has titanium bone weave, a dermal carapace, muscle augmentation and Mark IX digital reflexes.”

“Oh, shit,” she breathed, her eyes wide.  “That’s how he survived the fall and the explosion.”  Drawing her plasma pistol, she reached for the ship’s comm and said, “Fogg to the med bay immediately.”  She took a step back and leveled her weapon.  She watched as the mercenary’s chest steadily rose and fell.  “His upgrades are probably worth more than my starship.”

Cajun pressed his knuckles against his lips.  “There’s no probably about it.”

“With that much hardware, he could single-handedly kill us all and destroy the
Shadow
.”

Cajun winced.  “And I can’t imagine he’ll be in a very good mood when he wakes up.”

“No,” Zerki mouthed.

At last, Fogg arrived as a tiny flying saucer.  “GREETINGS CAPTAIN.”

She pointed to the mercenary and whispered, “He has digital reflexes.  I need you to install a safety override that will shut him down if he tries to hurt anyone or damage the
Shadow
.  Can you do that?”

Fogg’s lights flashed in sequence as he processed.  “I WOULD REQUIRE DIRECT ACCESS TO A CONTROL CIRCUIT.”

Looking to Cajun, she asked, “Will he wake up if you cut into him?”

“I don’t know.”  He swallowed visibly.  “I can’t determine the extent of the damage to his brain from this side of the carapace.”

After a moment of consideration, she said, “Cajun, locate a control circuit and cut through enough skin to give Fogg access.  Fogg, as soon as he does that, you’ll need to disperse and hijack the neural interface.  Can you can do that?”

“WITH 93% CONFIDENCE.”

She nodded gravely.  “That’ll have to do.  Cajun, as soon as Fogg’s inside, if that guy so much as moves, you get out of here and lock this place down.”

Cajun raised a brow.  “Quarantine protocol?”

“That’s correct.”

“What about you?”

She tapped her plasma pistol.  “Don’t underestimate my chances.”