LINKS
____________
The Christa Affair
Chapter Nine
In the control room of the \Klondike\, Lito found herself suddenly deaf and blind. Electromagnetic interference created by the battle wiped out the bioscanner, and the entire communications band became a solid blast of static. The video scanner still worked, but smoke from the explosions and the fires started by her shipmates made the picture on the screen useless. On the near starboard screen, she could see the landingcraft lift off as Mowii gunned the boat in the direction of the battle. Snafu turned to fubar as her telepathic contact with Roi was abruptly terminated.
Fighting back a rising sense of helplessness, Lito keyed the comm, "\Klondike\ to Captain... Landingcraft on the way... Repeat... Landingcraft on the way. Acknowledge!"
Only static answered.
"Mowii! Do you read?" The landingcraft was closer -- perhaps at that range the comm was powerful enough to override the interference. Again, only an ear-splitting roar; the square lines of the little boat faded from sight, obscured by the cloud of smoke drifting toward the \Klondike\ from the campsite.
Lito flipped the transmit switch to emergency high-power override. "\Klondike\ to crew... \Klondike\ to crew... I am deaf and blind. Repeat... I am deaf and blind! If you can read me, the boat is on the way. I repeat... The boat is on the way. Acknowledge! Over." The communicator blasted back its nerve-grating static and Lito reduced the volume. She knew it would be at least a half-hour before the ionization created by the energy weapons subsided sufficiently to permit communications to resume. If only she hadn't lost contact with Roi.
Lito found herself in a situation totally beyond the scope of her experience and training. In the years they had been together on the \Klondike\, they had twice fought off attacks by Raider ships, and there had been an occasional firefight with armed bandits on one or another of the frontier worlds along the rim, but nothing like \this\ -- this was a damned \war\, and the bad guys seemed to be able to pop in and out of the picture at will. She remembered how the five alien life-forms had suddenly appeared on the scanner, just outside the camp. Gods of the Fourteen Planets! What if they popped up here and attacked the ship?
Her eyes flicked across the bank of video screens that displayed the area around the \Klondike\; no intruder was visible. Lito touched the control that activated the bubble; an invisible dome sprang up over the ship. The force-field would stop physical intrusion, but not an attack by energy weapons. And the deflector screens couldn't be turned on while the ship was grounded.
It seemed the whole galaxy was going bananas... Disappearing moons, disappearing ships, and now vicious offworlders that popped up out of nowhere. "Wonder if they can pop up \inside\ the bubble?" she thought. "Or worse yet, inside the \ship\?!" Lito shuddered visibly at the idea. As she checked her holstered needlegun to see that it showed a full charge, she activated the SOS beacon.
*********
Mowii brought the landingcraft straight in at the campsite at treetop level, Carlson and needlecannon armed and ready. Visibility in the smoke was near zero, and she knew she would have a hard time finding a target or locating her shipmates. As the domes flashed past beneath her, the landingcraft was rocked by the shock-wave of a near miss; Mowii sent the machine spiraling upward, its gravity polarizers whining in protest. At least they were aware of her presence; maybe it would take their attention off her shipmates for a few moments.
The air inside the boat crackled with static electricity as a bolt passed thru the craft. A jagged glowing hole appeared in the floor-plate just aft of the pilot's seat; the overhead glowed red-hot and sagged slightly as it absorbed the last of the energy. The cabin smelled of ozone and molten alloy. "I'm a sitting duck up here!" she thought, as she kicked in the hydrofusion thrusters to more quickly put altitude between her and the sniper below.
As the altitude readout approached thirty-five hundred feet, Mowii cut the thrusters and stalled the landingcraft to a hover, holding it stationary with the anti-gravs. Thick smoke still obscured the campsite, drifting slowly northward toward the \Klondike\. She began high-power video scan of the surrounding area as she tried the comm. Repeated calls to the \Klondike\ and to her embattled shipmates below brought only answering static.
*********
Jashi pulled himself painfully from the twisted wreckage of the sled. A mile to the north, the column of rising smoke was visible above the trees. "So close... So damn close!" he thought bitterly, as he surveyed the small clearing where he had wrestled the overloaded airsled to an emergency landing.
Jashi helped Karli from the wrecked vehicle. He picked up one of the Uzis from the ground where it had been thrown by the impact of the crash; wincing in pain as he slung it over his left shoulder. (.... "Looks like my left wing's busted, Karli... how bout you? ....")
(.... Concern .... "I'm okay. Just banged up a bit. What happened? ...."). Suu screamed in pain and passed out as they tried to help her from the sled. Both her legs appeared to be broken.
(.... "Took out one of the pickup coils, I think. Been okay if we hadn't been so overloaded. Where's your Uzi? ....") Jashi pulled a hypospray from the medical kit on his belt, and administered the painkiller to Suu, then turned to check on Rang and Roi. He wondered what had happened to the boat. And where was Toko?"
As best he could with one arm useless, Jashi helped Karli lift the still unconscious Roi from the back seat of the sled. They laid him gently face down on the ground and Karli applied Plastiskin to the burned area of his back. The spray would deaden the pain, then dry into a flexible coating to protect against infection.
The wrecked sled was still upright, and the stretcher supporting Rang hadn't been loosened from the cargo rack by the impact; Jashi decided to leave his brother where he was for the moment. He expected to be pursued by the Estarani, and he knew they had to find cover quickly, but how were the two of them supposed to move their three unconscious shipmates -- especially with him equipped with only one good arm? He wished fervently for a grav-plate.
As Jashi checked Rang's vital signs, he felt Karli withdraw from their mental contact. He didn't protest -- as with any telepair, her private thoughts were her own, and not to be violated. Even had he wished to do so, intrusion would have been virtually impossible against her will. Turning to her, he spoke aloud for the first time since their hasty departure from the embattled campsite. "Seems to be no change in Rang... and no injuries from the crash. How's Roi?"
"Nothing looks busted, and the burns don't look too bad... Mostly just across his shoulders, and his suit took the worst of it." She took Jashi's hand, interlacing her fingers with his. "We're in a real mess, aren't we, Jashi?"
Jashi was thankful for the broken contact; for her to know his true feelings at the moment would only increase her anxiety. "I'm afraid so, Karli. We've got to find cover, and I don't think we can move the others with my shoulder busted. I think we can assume the grasshoppers will be along any minute. Better see if we can bring Roi around."
They turned Roi onto his back and gave him a hypo. The stimulant took effect immediately; Roi's eyes fluttered open. He tried to sit up -- then groaned and sank back to the ground. "What happened?" he asked. "The last thing I remember is throwing my overheated Carlson into the fire... Did it blow?"
"It blew all right," answered Jashi. "Took out the dome just as you cleared the door -- almost took you with it! Think you can walk? We've got to find cover. Your back's burned, but not too bad... We put Skin on it."
"Feels okay," said Roi, managing to sit up. "But everything's going round and round... Got one hell of a headache! Where are we?"
"About a mile south of the camp," replied Jashi. "Sled started loosing power just as we cleared the trees -- I think they got one of the pickup coils. Both Suu's legs are broken... Rang's okay, but still out -- Toko's missing."
The underbrush rustled, and a twig snapped loudly at the north edge of the clearing; the three of them dived for cover behind the wrecked sled. "Easy, guys... It's me!" shouted Toko from the concealment of the trees. "White queen's knight takes black king's rook -- check and mate in twenty-three moves." It was a prearranged recognition code tied to the day of the Federation-Standard week, and to the "day" readout on the ship's mission-elapsed timer. "Permission to advance and be recognized?"
"Toko! Can the garbage and get over here!" shouted Jashi in relief. Toko sprinted across the clearing to the little group huddled behind the sled. "Where in the hell have you been?"
Toko's flight-suit was torn in several places; beneath the shredded cloth, blood oozed from multiple scratches and a few deep cuts. "Saw what looked like a soft spot, and jumped," said Toko. "I guess it wasn't as soft as it looked," he added sheepishly. "Knocked me cold when I hit... There's a pile of boulders just a little way back into the trees that should make good cover. What happened to the landingcraft?" As Toko talked, Karli sprayed his injuries with Plastiskin.
"Don't know," replied Jashi. "Comm's still out. Roi, can you contact Lito?"
"On the line," said Roi, sounding almost cheerful. "She's got the bubble up -- no sign of hostiles there. Comm and bioscan knocked out by ionization; campsite concealed by smoke. She says Mowii headed our way about the time everything came unglued -- no report or sighting of the landingcraft since it flew into the smoke. Think she's down?"
"That's all we need!" thought Jashi bitterly. Aloud he said, "Tell her to power-up the ship and stand by." As a last resort, the \Klondike\ could be called to their defense, but it might cost them the whole ball-game; the starship would make a nice, fat, slow-moving target for an alien sharpshooter. In close proximity to the planet, only the anti-gravs could be used for propulsion, and the deflector screens couldn't be activated; the screens blocked out the planet's magnetic field as effectively as they deflected an energy beam, rendering the FPG -- and thus the anti-gravs -- inoperative.
It was decided to leave their unconscious shipmates where they were, and make a stand from the pile of rocks Toko had found. They lowered Rang's stretcher to the ground next to Suu, behind the scant shelter of the wrecked sled. There wasn't time to move them, and the location of the boulders would place the defenders in the path of the approaching aliens. If the Estarani got past them, it was all over anyway. Jashi left behind Rang's needlegun in case one of them regained consciousness.
They started into the woods, Toko in the lead with Jashi and Karli following; Roi brought up the rear. Jashi took a mental inventory of their weapons as they walked. Roi and Toko carried the Uzis; Jashi wore a Carlson -- Karli had two. They were moderately well supplied with powerpacks. The Carlsons and the Uzis used the same units, and among them they had ten spares -- plus the half-used one Jashi had returned to his belt back in the dome.
The pile of rocks indeed offered good cover; Jashi felt they could hold off the enemy effectively until their power ran out. "At least the trees will make it difficult for them to throw explosives at us," he thought as they placed themselves strategically within the circle of boulders and silently waited for the aliens to make an appearance. No civilized race would use explosives as an anti-personnel weapon -- it was too destructive... The equivalent of killing the cat to exterminate the fleas.
They didn't have long to wait. Suddenly the air was filled with deadly energy and flying chunks of rock as the attack seemed to come simultaneously from all sides. Roi and Toko held down the trigger of their Uzis, raking the trees on either side of their position with sustained, rapid-fire pulses of energy. Jashi heard the whine of Karli's Carlson behind him as he depressed the firing stud of his own and swung the beam in an arc, felling small trees and sending wood flying in all directions along the north perimeter of their position.
The contact between Jashi and Karli was open, and he knew she had been firing blind -- he hadn't been able to spot a target either. "Anybody have a target?" he asked as he ducked to avoid flying splinters. (.... "Weird trees, Karli! Watch out for flying splinters ....") The beam of a Carlson should cut wood cleanly -- these shattered like \rock\!
All three responded in the negative; Karli spoke aloud for the benefit of the others. The incoming fire had stopped. (.... Surprise .... mild pain .... "\Now\ you tell me! ....") Blood oozed from a small cut under her right eye.
"Easy on the juice, guys! Wait for a target when possible." barked Jashi. (.... "Spray that cut, Karli ....")
The top of the boulder behind which Jashi crouched exploded as an energy beam snaked out from the woods on that side. An Estarani became visible among the trees -- drew back and threw something at them with his number one left tendril. Dropping her can of Plastiskin, Karli turned and nailed the projectile in mid-air; Jashi cut the creature in half with his Carlson. Debris from the explosion rained down on the little group. (.... "Good shot, Karli! ....") Jashi was thankful for the telepathic contact which made such precise teamwork possible.
(.... "Ain't polite to throw things! One down. Three to go?...")
(.... "Better \hope\ they don't have reinforcements ....") "Here we go again," he yelled, as beams of energy swept the projecting rocks and crackled overhead.
From Jashi's right, Roi cut loose with a long burst; they ducked again to avoid flying splinters. "Missed him!" spat Roi. "He was trying to throw another one!"
(.... "Hard headed, ain't they Jash? ....")
(.... "Glad the trees make it hard for them to throw ....") "Watch it!" yelled Jashi; a projectile exploded just outside the circle of rocks. "Anybody see who threw that one?"
"My side!" yelled Toko from Jashi's left. "Just got a glimpse of it!" He fired another burst from the Uzi. "They'd rather throw stuff than beam us... Sure glad for the trees!"
Jashi was remembering something he had read once. Estarani had poor eyesight, but were equipped with a kind of biological radar that was both powerful and quite accurate. The pile of boulders they were hiding in would stand out like a starburst flare!
(.... "How good can it see \people?\ ....") Karli was reading his sudden memory of the long-forgotten article. (.... "Think we ought to spread out? ....")
(.... ?!?!?!?! ....) They all ducked again as their position was raked from the front and both sides; two incoming projectiles fell short, and exploded harmlessly. "Don't think they can hit us if we can keep them back," said Jashi. "Glad they have to throw those things by hand!" How well \could\ they see a Human at this distance, thru trees and among the boulders? Jashi wished he had read that article more carefully.
Incoming fire from both sides -- four more projectiles fell short. Toko fired one short burst, then ejected the powerpack and slammed in a fresh one. "Missed again. They move fast!"
Again and again death crackled around them and overhead; more explosions erupted outside their stone fortification. The Estarani seemed to be firing indiscriminately, without waiting for a target -- perhaps their radar \couldn't\ tell a Human from the rocks among which they were hiding.
Jashi removed his helmet, unplugging the cable that led to the control and power unit on his belt. The hostilities subsided for a moment; he tossed it straight up into the air about ten feet. Nothing happened. Roi and Toko looked at him quizzically -- Karli laughed in his mind and caught the falling helmet. (.... "Maybe they \don't\ see so good, huh?... Thought you might need a little help, with that bad arm ....")
(.... "Nice catch ....") He repeated the experiment with the same results. Before he could decide whether or not it was significant, they were assaulted by another wave of weapons fire -- longer this time. Both Uzis chattered together, and Jashi heard the whine of Karli's Carlson; one of the aliens had moved around behind them.
Four more explosions, closer this time. Sooner or later, the grasshoppers were going to get lucky! Returning the helmet to his head, Jashi wondered if they dared try to move.
Karli fired again, a sustained beam that created a hailstorm of splinters. The woods exploded at the spot where she had aimed; liquid and alien tissue rained from the sky. (.... Revulsion .... "Careless bastard! He was holding it when it blew. Pieces everywhere... \yuch\! ....") "Two down -- two to go!" she sang out.
(.... "Graphic, aren't we? ....") Jashi brushed pieces of wet debris from his coveralls. The explosion, or Karli's Carlson, had started a fire -- it was upwind of them. Soon there would be no choice, they would \have\ to move.
He was about to suggest they try an attack, when Roi yelled. Jashi spun to cover his position, then saw that he was unhurt. "What the..." He was cut off as they were rocked by an explosion that was heart-stoppingly close.
Another followed, almost as near; Toko's Uzi sang as he held down the trigger until the powerpack was exhausted. "Seven or eight on this side... I got three." he yelled as he reloaded. "They've got reinforcements!"
"We've got to move! Fan out and work your way back to the sled... We'll meet there." Jashi barked. He squelched the thought that there probably wouldn't be anyone left to meet anywhere, hoping Karli hadn't caught it. "My count, on three! One... two..."
"Wait!" yelled Roi; they all froze in position, then hit the dirt as they were assaulted from all sides by sustained fire that seemed to go on forever. Estarani were everywhere now, visible among the trees all around them; Carlson and Uzi fire drove them back.
Jashi counted six dead on his side. "Wait hell!" he snapped. "Explain!" They were all busy reloading; Jashi was down to his last full charge.
"It's Mowii! Lito's got a communication laser on her... She's coming in on visual. Static got everything except the short-range video scan." He paused for a moment, concentrating on his contact with Lito. "I gave her the picture... ETA one minute."
(.... "Gonna be too late, Jashi -- I'm glad we're together... Sorry? ....")
(.... "Best eleven years anybody could wish for! No regrets, Kitten ....") Jashi turned to the task of using the last of his power efficiently, as dozens of Estarani became visible, swarming thru the trees toward them. "Roi!" he shouted. "Tell Lito `up-ship... Report to the Admiral!'"
There were no more explosions now -- just wave after wave of the repulsive creatures advancing toward their position. Pieces of rock rained down steadily as the incoming weapons fire whittled away at their protection. Dozens of dead Estarani lay scattered among the trees -- for every one they killed, there seemed to be three to take its place. Jashi finished the half-charged powerpack he had saved till last; Karli tossed him her extra Carlson. (.... "Quarter-charge, Darling... Burn one for me! .... ")
(.... "They're all for you, My Love! ....") He swung the muzzle in a wide arc, holding down the firing stud. The front rank of Estarani fell writhing to the ground; behind them there were too many to count. He could hear the noises they made as they communicated with each other.
Both Uzis fell silent as Roi and Toko used the last of their power. Her own weapon exhausted, Karli was beside Jashi -- her arm around his waist. Jashi pressed the stud again; halfway thru his swing, the whine of the Carlson turned to silence. Jashi turned to Karli, holding her to him with his one good arm. As what looked like hundreds of Estarani swarmed over their position, filling the air with their sharp clicking sounds, he wondered if grasshoppers took prisoners.
CHAPTER TEN
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