The Battle for the Ringed Planet (24 page)

“I’m listening.”

“We met in high school in the same home room. She had auburn hair and big brown eyes. I remember because we made eyes at each other for the longest time, kind of like you do to me.”

“Well, you’re pretty to look at,” Siiri replied coyly.

“That so … well I finally asked her out to the Harvest dance and after that we were always together. She had a wonderful singing voice and got a local singing contract, and made the holonet for a while.” He sighed, “Yeah, she promised she’d wait when I got called up … but I got a Dear John after my first month.”

“What’s that?”

“She wasn’t going to wait. I heard she’s married now.”

“I’m sorry.”

“That was forever ago. Tristan just laughed, he was the exact opposite, and he had a dozen girls waiting for him.”

“My kind of guy,” Siiri responded sarcastically.

“Nah, you would have liked him, he never took anything seriously, always joking around …” Torian yawned.

She squeezed a little closer and rested her head back on his chest. He wanted to say something else but closed his eyes for a second, and then he was out.

Chapter 17: Impala

It was hours later when he woke, still dark in the room as he reached for his Con and saw that it was mid morning. They had arrived at the tower at night. May was snoring quietly curled up in the bunk across the room and that was a good sign. On his chest, Siiri slept breathing quietly and evenly. Her blonde hair spread over his upper body like a blanket and he gently stroked the silky strands. Torian lay back closing his eyes enjoying the feeling of her warm body against his. Wishing he had removed his flight suit so that he could feel her closer, he found it hard to believe that he had fallen for her so fast, having only known her for a few days. There were so many places he wanted to take her, to show her, and just to be with her.

Stirring and shifting slightly he squeezed her tighter against his body and she moved her arm to caress his cheek, “Mmmm.” she moaned. The bunk was hard on his back, but he had slept in worse places during his basic military training. The beating of her heart close to his own made him forget the stiff muscles.

A little while later May moaned rousing him while Siiri lifted her head pulling her hair across his chest.

“I need another shot, or 10.” May rubbed her head and Siiri, concerned, rolled off their bunk and padded over the check on the injured marine.  Torian sat up and ran his hand through his chocolate brown hair.

Placing her hand on the long dark haired woman’s forehead, the blonde young woman whispered soothingly, “Now, just lay back, I’ll get you something to drink.”

“Don’t baby me girl, you know we have a lot of ground to cover today.”

“Just an orange juice and a coffee cube left.”

“Coffee for me, before Space Jockey sees it.”

“Siiri …” he called and held a tube of the polygel healing agent, “Take off her shirt and put these on her wounds.” Then he held up a red hypo syringe, glancing at May, “Last stim, all yours.”

“You just want to get me high.”

Overcast skies met them when they left the tower and a light drizzle spit in their faces. A rag tag group, with May’s torn combats, minus the armor, Torian’s stained flight suit, and Siiri’s frayed green shirt and ripped buckskin pants at the knees, the three walked in single file along the gravel road.

While wind whipped drops of wetness, Torian, in front, with May in the middle and Siiri guarding the rear with a pistol, read the Con on the only assault rifle left. The small black instrument, designed to be rugged and water proof, withstood the rain shooting through the virtual screens while he studied the readings.

“They’ll see us way before, no matter if we hide behind a hill or rock …” May reminded Torian.

“I know.”

“Why?” Siiri asked from behind with her pistol drawn.

May answered, “They can use fleet ships or satellites; we can’t link without a code.”

“Then there’s the counter measures and shields and stuff that messes up signals.” the lanky flight specialist added.

“I think all of that is stupid,” blue-eyed Siiri sighed.

“There you go, another thing we have in common,” the young man grinned and she smiled back.

“Me, too,” said the dark haired woman who had a barely noticeable limp and a little swelling above her left cheek.

“But at least I got some back pay coming, so when I get back I’ll have enough cash to buy a new truck, and maybe a down payment on some land.” Then he peeked back at the flaxen haired girl behind May, “You know Siiri, in the cities in Kanata they have colleges and polytechnicals, you could learn skills or something.”

“What kind of skills?”

“Anything you want. You could be a doctor, a lawyer, a nuclear biologist …” he quipped.

“Don’t scare her away, Space Jockey. Siiri, they have less intimidating programs, you can be a teacher, or a veterinarian, or a holo technician.”

“It all sounds exciting; I just hope I get there.”

The trio trekked through the slick misty rain for another hour in silence while Siiri kept an eye on May to ensure she was not straining too much. Soon Torian called everyone for a rest behind a rise on the side of the road. They sat against the grassy hill and broke out the last of their water. The rain died down and a few rays seeped through the grey miasma.

“I can see the mines in the distance.” May undid her webbing and felt her shoulder.

“How is it?” the other girl felt the dark haired marine’s wound.

“Throbbing, but bearable. The polygel is healing it.” Then she sighed, “I sure am hungry.”

Glancing behind over the small crest, he checked his Con and seeing his frown Siiri peered over, “You’re watching that herd over there.”

“Yeah, impalas, I wonder how they taste.”

“Delicious, I’m certain,” the dark almond-eyed woman responded. 

“I’ll bet you can make a fire, Siiri, even with the wet ground.” Torian stood up and studied the wet plain.

“What do you think we did for entertainment?”

May jested, “Where you a little pyro?”

“I might have lit a grass fire or two.”

“I don’t know if I should give you these matches …” May reached into a webbing pouch.

“Don’t over do it.” He slung the rifle, “I’m off to be a man and hunt for you woman folk.”

“Oh brave hunter man.” The marine rolled her eyes.

With her hands on her hips Siiri remarked, “The blue table cloth or the red one? And don’t forget the wine.”

“You decide, dear,” he grinned.

May became serious, “Space Jockey …”

He turned back before leaving, “I know …”

“Watch for Solvairs and Starhawks, don’t draw attention to yourself.”

 “One shot,” he glanced at Siiri, “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

“Be careful Torian, I’ll have a fire when you get back.”

Walking about a hundred meters on the wet grass, he came close to the herd of nimble creatures and targeted a small one near the edge. Sniffing the air, many watched him warily and when he fired from his rifle, they began to leap around all at once. Torian was a little confused, but ignored them striding to his kill. The dead animal had a smoking fist sized hole through its shoulder and he lifted it up by the legs.

When he returned they used a bayonet to cut the meat and roasted chunks with sticks over the fire from branches Siiri had gathered from nearby shrubs and brush. She had gathered the drier wood underneath the vegetation so the fire burned steadily. As soon a piece of meat was roasted and they ate.

Siiri like her meat rare and a trickle of blood ran down the side of her mouth while she chewed hungrily. May waited for her meat to cook a little longer while Torian liked it almost black.

“I never had this before, but it’s good like venison,” the blue eyed girl finished her chunk.

Torian leaned forward and wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, “Savage.”

“At least mine isn’t charcoal.”

“Who cares, it feels yummy in my tummy!” The marine sighed, all filled up.

When they were finished he stamped the fire out, “Let’s get going.” Checking the Con on his rifle he glanced back while Siiri checked her webbing and her pistol. May grimaced as she pulled the straps of her webbing over her shoulder.

After a few moments they began to walk towards the mines still a few kilometres in the distance. The pace was a little faster now that they had eaten and the sun began to break through the gloomy blanket of clouds. The rest of the day was looking considerably brighter.

“May,” Torian turned back to the tall woman whose long black hair stirred in the slight breeze.

“I’m listening.”

“We’re not going to say anything about the aliens.”

“Ok.”

“I wiped my Con of all references. You were injured in the crash. We got lost in the tunnels and came out by the mines.”

“What ever you say, Space Jockey; I don’t need the extra attention.”

“Thank you, May, you’re all right, for a grunt.”

“What will they do with Siiri?”

The wiry flight specialist glanced back at the girl, with strands of her ash blonde hair flying in the light gusts, then he stopped and strode back to her, “I’m going to give you my number, everyone has a Con number based on their DNA tag, no matter which one they use, memorize it Siiri, along with the shield codes.”

She nodded quickly when he gave her the numbers she recited them back, then he put both hands on her shoulders, “Where ever we end up, you can find me with my Con number. I don’t know if you can project in space. Siiri …” he hesitated, lost in her eyes as she watched him intensely, “what ever happens, I’ll come for you.”

“Promise…” she whispered moving her mouth close to his.

“I promise,” their lips inched almost together, but then at the last second he turned away marching up to the front.

            When he passed the marine, she quietly spoke, “I would have done it …”

            “Yeah …” he sighed and led them along the road.

            The nickel mine buildings were tall where the shafts ran kilometres underground, and huge hover dump trucks lay abandoned haphazardly in pits with gravel roads leading down, left for a hundred years by their fleeing occupants. Torian was wary because the buildings and trucks were perfect cover for an ambush by an overzealous military patrol, but fortunately none appeared and they walked by without incident.

            Over forest tree tops they glimpsed the derelict high-rises of Kaarina and Torian signalled them to slow down. The gravel road morphed into a paved parkway along the river lined with trees on one side and parkland on the other.

Marine patrols were heavily armed, heavily shielded, and had Cons supported from space or boosted signals from base scanners. The patrol appeared briefly on Torian’s Con, walking in single file along the parkway just inside the forest line, before they vanished from his instrument, and he grimaced. The parkway was sparsely dotted with hover vehicles and he motioned the other two behind an overturned transit bus with remains of victims scattered inside.

“Patrol.” He whispered with May and Siiri in earshot, “Lost them on my Con.”

“I’ll bet they see us,” the tanned skinned helmetless marine replied gravely.
            Siiri began, “What are they going to do …” but she was interrupted by several plasma bolts melting the exposed engine of the bus. All three kissed the pavement and Torian leopard crawled over to Siiri who watched him wide eyed.

Then he rolled on his back with his rifle pointing up, “Friendlies! You assholes!” he yelled.

“Identify yourselves!” a harsh voice replied and Torian heard footsteps on the road as marines took positions behind other vehicles. He knew some carried heavier weapons than rifles; light machine guns (LMG’s), grenade launchers, and mini antitank canons, along with a patrol sized defensive shield.

“Survivors!” he called back and May shot him an anxious glance, “One Dragon Marine, one Hawkeye crewman, and a civilian.”

“Who is the civilian?”

Torian sighed, “I was hoping they wouldn’t ask that.” He kept his eyes on Siiri who reached for his hand, then he shouted back, “Admiral Bennion’s daughter.”

May twisted around and glared at him, while he shrugged, “They’re not going to believe me about her anyway, and he’s a Mormon, with a huge family and lots of daughters.”

“Oh yeah?” shouted the husky voice, “Which one?”

“Jarhead…” Torian sighed quietly, and then yelled, “Like you know them all.”

“You must be the Space Jockey, send out the Dragon, unarmed, first!”

Sitting up May undid her webbing and peered nervously at Torian, and then she raised her fist and hit his, “Semper Fi.”  Solemnly he nodded back while Siiri inched closer to him.

“May …” she whispered, but the brown almond eyed woman winked and then stood up with her hands high in the air. She walked slowly around the smoking bus and took a few paces before two heavily armed and armoured figures strode out from behind a hover truck and grabbed her by the arms while a third appeared aiming his assault rifle.

“Not so rough, boys …” she clenched her teeth.

“The civilian girl next!” came the commanding voice. 

Siiri turned to Torian nervously and he stroked her hair, “Just do as they say, hands high, and if they touch you inappropriately, kick them in the nuts.”

A faint smile appeared and she leaned forward and put her finger on his lips, “Don’t say anything stupid, Torian.” Then she got up, took off her webbing and pistol and walked around.

A moment later he heard voice inside his head, “It’s all right, Torian, they have us on the ground.”

“Come on out Hawkeye…” growled the marine in charge.

Torian stripped off his webbing and left his rifle, but he took his Con as he walked out hands high still holding the device, “I have a Con!” he shouted as two marines seized him and forced him to his knees. One took his Con and a third appeared with a smaller version of the assault rifle and a patch depicting three inverted green chevrons over crossed rifles in the center of his chest armour, his face hidden by his visor.