AMP Siege (11 page)

I turned to York. "Based on the suit power you have left, how long do you think we could manage to run with our gravity assist at maximum?"

York punched away at her arm pad. "Assuming worst case, which is that the mud does not let up, it looks like we might get five to six hours out of them, Sir. At the pace you showed, we might just be able to make the base of those hills."

I replied, "OK, well, here is my plan. Captain, you and your men may have to shed your battle gear. If the Targs catch us, it won't do you much good anyway. So, we need to ditch the extra weight."

The captain spoke. "What are you proposing, Mr. Grange?"

I smiled. "We are going to take you and your men for some piggyback rides, Captain. Somebody can climb on my back, and I will sprint them out to a kilometer’s distance, and then walk back to get the next one without using the gravity assist."

York spoke. "You do realize that we won't get five or six hours out of these suits if we are carrying someone, don't you, Sir? We are probably talking three hours tops."

I replied, "Well, then three hours is what we get, Sergeant. At least that way, if the Targs catch us, they will catch all of us. How's that sound for strengthening relations, Captain?"

The captain replied, "While I don't relish the thought of shedding my battle suit, I believe that it is the best option we have. Perhaps that will put enough distance between us and the Targ until a rescue ship arrives. It would also speak of Humans as being creatures of honor and integrity."

I tilted my head as I responded, "Well, I can't say that I like being called creatures, but I will accept that in the spirit that it was no doubt intended."

The captain was the first to shed his suit and hop onto my back. The Gonta were of a slighter build than Humans and as a result were an easy carry. The gravity assist, along with the auto-balancing circuits built into the suit, made for a stable jaunt across the muddy plains. Each passenger was taken out a kilometer’s distance ahead and dropped off. The bounder then walked back to the remaining others with the gravity assist turned off. Frost's suit was the first to run low on power.

Frost spoke as I dropped off a Gonta soldier beside her. "That's it for me, Mr. Grange. I'm down to 1 percent, which I would prefer to keep for my arm pad."

I looked at my power indicator. "I think I have four or five more runs in me. I like the idea of maintaining enough juice to run the arm pad, though. I will have to keep an eye on my own so that I can do the same."

Three trips followed, bringing the last of the Gonta soldiers up to the group. York arrived and let her passenger to the ground.

I spoke. "How much suit power do you have left, York?"

York replied, "I have 3 percent, Sir. If you want, though, I can still carry someone with these legs. The power cell in them is probably good for another three or four days of carrying if I do."

I replied, "Save it, York. We may need it later. And if you run out of power in those legs, well, I don't want to have to be dragging your torso all over this planet. That just wouldn't look right."

York chuckled. "If I lose power, you can just plant me in the mud with a blaster and enough rounds to keep them off of me for a while, Sir. Might give you a few extra steps towards those hills."

I smiled. "I wouldn't give you the pleasure or the glory, York. If there is going to be a firefight, then we are all going to be in it!"

York gave a half frown. "Aw, now what fun is that, Sir? Who is going to be left to tell of my ultimate sacrifice? You know that's how we Marines are wound, Sir."

I replied, "You will have to be satisfied with knowing that we all knew what you did, York. On this one, we are all sticking together."

Our sprints had placed us an extra three hours’ distance from what appeared to be an oncoming horde of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Targ pursuers. The Targ sun set and then rose again as our run continued. My legs were again feeling fatigued from the constantly sucking mud that we had to trudge through.

As I stepped and pulled, then stuck, then stepped, then pulled, my mind began to wander. I was back on the high ridge on Jarhead with Ashley by my side. It was always a good reminder of what I had to live for. I would push through this, however difficult it would become, if only to return to see my wife for one last time.

The dawn brought with it a drier stretch of land with only patchy mud. The hills loomed larger in the distance, now only sixteen kilometers from our location. Our paces quickened, only to be slowed again as the scorching hot Targ sun beat down upon the captain and the other Gontas. I wondered how long my suit environmentals would hold out before I was in the same situation.

Frost spoke. "Crap! I'm down to just my arm pad, Sir. It's gonna get hot in this thing real quick."

I replied, "We are going to be in those hills in a couple hours, Frost. Try to hold out if you can."

Frost looked at her arm pad. "We are going to be covered in Targ about that same time, Mr. Grange."

I looked back at Frost to reply. "Thanks for the good... what are you doing, Frost?"

Frost replied, "Sorry, Sir. This suit is burning me up. It has to go. And, Sir?"

I turned back towards the hills. "What is it, Frost?"

Frost spoke. "I just want you to know that I'm not even doing this on purpose, Sir. As much as I might enjoy it, I'm doing it because I have to. And if you have to join me, Sir, well, I promise to not enjoy that too much, Sir."

I glanced down at my power level and cringed as I thought of possibly having to do the same should the time come. I could order Frost to walk out in front of me instead of behind, but I decided she would probably enjoy that even more. Going naked in front of others was one of her bad habits. I glanced over at the already naked captain and again cringed at the thought of our entire party being in the raw. It was not a pleasant thought.

An hour into our continued walk, my suit warbled as the environmental controller shut down. Within a minute I began to sweat.

Frost looked at me and smiled. "It's not going to do you any good to fight it, Sir! Strip 'em down and let Mama see what she has been wishing for. Hahahahaha!"

I stopped and looked at the ground below my boots. "How’s the dirt on your feet, Frost?"

The sergeant replied, "Surprisingly, it's not that bad, Sir. I have a few calluses anyway, so my feet are probably a bit tougher than yours are. Other than being a bit warm, I think you will do OK. You should be more worried about that milky-white flesh, Sir. This Targ sun might be a little rough on you. I was blessed with this naturally dark tone. At some point in the distant past, I would guess my people were sun people."

I spoke as I pulled my suit from my shoulders. "Sun people, huh. I wonder what that would make mine."

York spoke as she looked over at Frost. "Probably cave dwellers, Sir. Hahahaha!"

The captain cut into the conversation. "I take it that cave dwellers were not the elites of Human society?"

I replied, "In our archives it talks of them in our early history, and no, they were not considered as high up on the Human evolutionary scale. Not at the bottom, but... oh, never mind."

With a single move, I swirled my lightweight battle suit around my waist and tied it in a knot. My privates were fully concealed.

Frost spoke up with a soured tone. "Aw, Chief! Now that's not fair! Throw it over your shoulder like me. It will keep that sun from burning you."

I replied, "Sorry, Frost, Chief doesn't want his privates burning from that sun, or from your gaze for that matter."

As we continued to walk, Frost spoke. "All right, Sir. Throw that suit over your shoulders. I promise I won't look."

I smirked and shook my head at her efforts. "Not happening, Frost. You are just going to have to keep your eyes on the prize in front of us. We need to make it to those hills."

I reached down to the next mud spot and picked up a glob in my hands. The mud was rubbed onto my shoulders in an attempt to partially block the Targ sun. Frost again scowled at my efforts.

Several minutes after my mud bath, York spoke. "The Targs have picked up their pace, Sir. We aren't going to make those hills unless we pick up ours."

I replied, "Well, we are going to have to move faster, then. Let's take it up to a jog and see where that gets us. And York, what is your power level sitting at now?"

York looked. "I have 27 percent left, Sir."

I replied in shock, "You have 27 percent? How did that happen?"

York replied, "When I used the gravity assist, it was from the power cells in my legs. I guess I could have mentioned that earlier, Sir."

I shook my head. "Well, I guess it doesn't matter anyway. Any chance of you piggybacking us forward one at a time?"

York punched the buttons on her arm pad. "If I did, these legs would run dry before I got us all there, Sir. If you want, I can give it a try."

I replied, "No, not necessary. We need you mobile when we get there. What we need is a bre—"

My arm pad comm warbled. Prior to that moment, I had dared not answer due to the risk of an infection. This time, however, the incoming call was from Frig.

I pressed the comm button and spoke. "Frig! Tell me you are in orbit!"

Frig replied, "Sir, I am glad I was able to find you. I used prior information from the Grid to locate the Targ planet, and I have been searching for a signal from the
Granger
. I only tried this location out of curiosity over the beacon signal emanating from your position. Are you well, Sir?"

I smiled and replied, "I am fine now. Better than fine. Open us a wormhole and get us out of here!"

Frig was silent for several seconds. "I am sorry, Sir. I am still too distant to do that. We do not have the power here on the
Suppressor
to maintain the size of a connection that would allow you to pass through."

I stopped. "So, you are saying we are stuck here. Well, that's just great. What am I paying you for, anyway?"

Frig was silent and then replied, "Paying me for, Sir? I don't understand."

I looked into my arm pad as I spoke. "Just a sarcastic expression. We are in a tight spot here. Our suit batteries have failed, we are in a somewhat hostile climate, and we have several million little furry aliens who want to kill us bearing down on our position. Please tell me you have something there that you can do."

Frig replied, "One moment, Sir."

We continued to walk forward as several minutes of silence passed.

Frig spoke. "I will have to bring the
Suppressor
to a halt, Sir. I will then need to divert all power to the RF field generator on our antennae. I should be able to manage a three-second burst with a twelve-centimeter window, theoretically. We could attempt to pass through a power pack for your suit."

I replied, "Well, let's get on it. A couple power packs would really help us out right now."

Frig continued, "There is one problem, Sir. If the window should close on the pack before it is fully through, it might be irreparably damaged or possibly even explode."

I looked around at the others. "That is a chance we are willing to take, my friend. Fire that thing up and send a couple packs through."

Frig was silent as he worked another calculation. "If the latter should happen, Sir, an explosion, it would potentially kill anything that is unprotected out to half a kilometer. I will select a spot double that distance and try to drop it through."

I spoke. "We are heading in a direction away from those who pursue us. I will send the coordinates and our pace. Pick a spot out in front of us for the drop. We can scan for its final location."

Frig replied, "I will wait for the coordinates, Sir."

Meecha spoke. "Mr. Grange? You have communications with a ship?"

I replied, "Yes, but they are too far away to rescue us. We do have a method to possibly transfer a power pack or two down here, though. We'll see if we can make it happen."

I was full of energy; we were getting our suits back and a renewed chance at escape from the Targ. The first drop was made, and I ordered Frost to get back into her suit. She scowled and made minor fidgeting noises, but complied. Her next move was to begin sprinting Gonta soldiers forward several kilometers. I awaited a new power pack of my own.

Frig came over the comm. "I am sorry, Sir. The surge from the power resupply has blown several of our feed junctions. I cannot establish a new wormhole until they have been repaired."

I nodded my head. "Well, can I at least get an ETA on those repairs?"

Frig replied, "Two hours minimum, Sir. I'm sorry, but that is the best we can do."

Frost picked up the Gonta captain and began to sprint forward in an attempt to keep a maximum distance from the Targ. I continued to jog. When my comm once again warbled, I was breathing heavily.

I spoke. "Tell me some good news, Frig. I need some good news!"

Frig replied, "I'm sorry, Sir. I have none. I just thought you might want to chat. I am hearing that you are breathing at an accelerated rate, Sir. Is everything OK?"

I took a deep breath. "We are just trying to keep our distance, that's all. There aren't enough of us here to put up a fight. We are hoping for a rescue from that beacon."

Frig spoke. "About that beacon, Sir. Who are you expecting a rescue from?"

I turned my arm pad towards the Gontas and snapped a pic. "These guys have been keeping us alive. We were on their ship when the Duke's virus took control. We barely made it to the surface, and now there are only a dozen of us left."

Frig replied. "What of the crew of the
Granger
, Sir?"

I took another deep breath as I continued to run. "The
Granger
is parked in this system, completely shut down right now. The virus took control of all systems, leaving us with no choice but to shut her off cold. The crew was in a shuttle on their way down here to the surface when their systems were overcome as well. There is no one left but York, Frost, and me, along with the Gonta captain and eight of his crewmen."

I continued, "We escaped a siege that had been going on for three days when a storm came through and wrecked the place. We have millions of Targs that are now chasing after us, and they have been gaining on us all day. If the Gonta rescue ship doesn't drop in here soon, we are going to be overrun. We won't survive.

"I tell you, my friend, we could sure use some of your wizardry right now if you have any to give."

Frig was quiet for a moment and then spoke. "Sorry, Sir. I do not have any tricks in my box at this time. What can you tell me about the Gonta?"

I replied with a slightly cocked head, "Tricks in your box? If you have been reading stuff from the archives, you have gotten yourself mixed up a bit. And as for the Gontas, I'm transferring what I have in my recordings. It should give you info on our last few days here with the good captain. I'm hoping—if we can get out of this mess—I'm hoping that we might be able to work out some kind of alliance with them. They are currently in a state of war with the Colossus Empire and the Duke. Have you heard anything further from the Grid?"

Frig spoke. "I believe the Duke to be in control of the Grid, Sir. On my last attempted communications with them, I was unable to speak with anyone; they were blocked from acknowledging my repeated requests, but the Duke's virus continued to break down my firewalls, so I had to cease all comms. I fear he has complete control of her, Sir."

I slowed to a walk and replied as I continued to breathe heavily, "Great. I guess I'm going to have to keep that little fact from the Gontas, or they will be laughing when I bring up my wishes for an alliance. At least we know one good thing, Frig. He doesn't have enough hydrogen fuel to go anywhere. Unless, of course, he signals his own fleet to bring him some. If that is the case, then that makes a possible alliance with the Gontas all the more necessary. We don't have any way to stop him from bringing fuel, but they might."

Frig spoke. "Sir, I've noticed that you are bare chested. Where is your battle suit, and why are your shoulders covered in red dirt?"

I replied, "OK, you need to stop peeping at me, you freak! I have the suit around my waist, and the mud is to keep this scorching sun from frying me. Now, please do not be remotely turning on my camera feed!"

Frig sighed. "I was just curious, Sir. The more information I have about your situation, the better I may be able to assist you. And Sir, the primitive look, it suits you."

I again began to pick up my pace. "Yeah, well, how about using some of that smart-assery to get us out of here. I left Ashley with the Duke, and I would like to know that she is OK."

Frost dropped off the last of the Gontas and returned for me. Our scans showed the Targs to have closed to within an hour’s distance. The landscape was beginning to get the slight undulations that marked the beginning of the hills. With the aid of the power pack, we would make it into them, but the Targ hordes continued to draw closer.

Frost spoke. "OK, Chief, hop on. I'll be running you all the way to the base of the first hill. Scans show a river about two kilometers past that. If it's deep, we are hoping that it may be an obstacle for our little friends back there. York mentioned that we might be able to make a raft and float away. I kind of liked that idea."

I climbed onto the back of the stocky female sergeant, and she immediately bounded away towards the others. Several minutes later, as we passed them by, I swung my arm in a high circle and let out a loud
woot
sound. Frost advised me to please not do that, as it made keeping her balance while on the run difficult. I complied.

I was dropped at the base of the first hill, facing a rough outcropping of rocks that rose to about thirty meters above my altitude at the peak. Frost turned and quickly headed back for the others as I began to survey the area. Each successive hill rose higher than the one before it, with the highest echelon of rock jutting up nearly five hundred meters. Most of the hills had flat plateaus and steep, rocky sides. We would have to find passes in and around the rocky cliffs the further we traveled. The final set of hills rose up to a flatland that was interrupted by the deep canyon that had been cut by the river, two kilometers beyond.

Scans out to the narrow river basin showed it to be surrounded by biologicals. I reasoned that York had come up with her idea for a raft after doing a scan of her own. I took the time available to me to climb to the top of the first mount. A strong breeze was blowing from the hills out towards the heat-soaked plains. I had to take care that the battle suit tied around my waist did not blow up over my head. I contemplated putting it back on, but the temperature remained at the extremes.