Cascade box set 2, p.72
Cascade Box Set 2, page 72
“I thought we were already on the ground floor of this place,” said Sam looking out to the towers and structures which fanned out for miles in all directions, each one covered in specks of light, and thousands of craft milling around them like flies.
“We are on level 3471, of five thousand,” said Klept while operating a panel on the gantry. “Are we all on the transporter?” He looked back across the group. Before anyone could reply the whole gantry disconnected from its mooring and took to the air.
They all grabbed onto the railing which ran along both sides.
“What happened to just being zapped everywhere?” Said Sam.
Klept busily swiped and tapped at the control panel, while the twenty foot long walkway swooped and swayed past drones, angular craft and past skyscraper sized structures. “I suggest you ready your weapons.”
A stream of orange focused light scythed through the air, quickly followed by another. Sean looked back at the car-sized drone that was firing at them, and with the others fired back. “I’m getting low on ammo!” he shouted.
The transporter swung to one side than another, to avoid the increasing number of particle beams that were only just missing them. It then dropped suddenly, the g-forces making everyone lift off the floor and desperately try to hang on to the rail, so not to float away. It then leveled off and they all crashed back down.
Streaks and pulses of energy flew back and forth between the chasers and defenders.
Sam realized they were accelerating towards a wall. “Err… guys…”
The transporter rotated around just in time to fit inside a barely large enough tunnel. Sparks flew from the outside of the guardrails as they scrapped along the inner walls. Sounds of explosions followed, as those that were attacking slammed into the walls around the tunnel entrance.
“Yeah!” shouted Sam.
The transporter burst out into another large area, this one full of crafts of all sizes.
Zach walked to the front of the transporter to join Klept. “How we going to get into any of these ships?” He then felt a presence behind him and looked up at the large form of the Hulathen.
“I can unlock…” said the blue skinned alien to Zach and Klept. The Ultor stepped back to let him access the control panel.
As he tapped away the transporter slowed to a halt, and they hovered above the hundreds of ships.
The Hulathen then pointed down at one of the craft which seemed to be of average size compared to the others, but looked more compact. “That one…”
As everyone observed the military looking vessel, streams of small drones flowed from openings in the walls, all moving towards them. Klept then stepped back to the control panel and the transporter dropped swiftly again. Other docked ships flashed past.
“They’re almost on us!” shouted Fiona pointing her rifle at the closest convoy of attackers. They all started firing again as impacts from energy weapons slammed into the transporter knocking it to the side. They remained on course and ducked beneath the ship, and then started to ascend towards a large opening in the bottom of it.
Soon they were inside another hanger, this one stretching fifty feet square, and containing a number of shuttle like craft.
The transporter shuddered to a halt, landing on the floor of the hanger. The large ship’s doors started to close behind them, but two drones made it inside, firing their weapons as the group ran for cover.
Klept moved behind a wall and started tapping away at a control panel. Two bolts of energy instantly hit the drones which crashed to the ground. The gun turrets that destroyed them then receded back into the ceiling.
Zach ran forward. “Okay we got a big ship, now how do we fly it?”
Klept looked unsure. “This is a Gorion warship, they will not be pleased—”
The Hulathen ran past both of them and up to a door which slid open in front of him. “Follow to bridge,” he said briefly looking back.
As they ran through the wide corridor with arched ceilings, an alarm started playing out around them. After a series of turns, they came across double doors which slid open to reveal a moderately large room with a series of computer panels and seats.
They all ran inside. Klept and the Hulathen ran to the computer panels and furiously tapped away. An image of the outside hanger appeared at the front of the bridge. They were being bombarded by countless drones and the craft around them were maneuvering away.
“Let’s get out of here!” shouted Zach.
“Trying,” said Klept.
“Hold… on,” said the Hulathen, who then slid his hand forward on the panel he was nearest too. The ship surged forward, smashing through the smaller craft and drones that were still in its way and through the force field threshold which marked the barrier between the hanger and space.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
A Burly man, one of the outpost’s last defenders, stood holding a crowbar above the door, inside the hanger. It had been decided some hours before, that rather than being slaughtered they would go out fighting. Others stood behind him, including Brad and the Major, each with their own makeshift weapons.
“I think I can hear something, everyone get ready,” said the man.
The early morning light was just visible at the bottom of the door, and when some of it was blocked by a shadow they knew the time to fight was almost upon them. Everyone tightened their grip on the solid objects they held.
A key was slid into the door and the mechanism unlocked. Suddenly the door flew open and something thrown inside. As soon as it hit the floor everyone’s world turned white, and a deafening explosion of sound left them all grasping their ears.
Erin’s people ran inside, knocking the weapons to the floor and grabbing everyone. Each soldier took hold of someone and dragged them outside, positioning them to face the same way. It wasn’t long before all fifteen where on their knees, on the damp cold ground.
Brad looked around at the smoldering remains of a number of the outposts buildings. He then looked upwards. The rain clouds from the previous few days were almost all gone and a bright blue sky looked back at him. Most of the wounds on his face had started to heal, but he could still feel the dried blood around his nose, and the bruising around his eye was throbbing.
The sound of footsteps sent a shiver through most that were on the ground.
Erin appeared and walked to stand in front of them. “At least for your last day on earth the weather has improved!”
A few of the condemned started to cry.
He clicked on his radio. “Are you out there Abbey?”
“We told you, she’s gone!” said Hoxted.
Erin ignored the major and tried again. “These deaths are on you, Abbey.” He marched across to the first in the row and raised his handgun at the man there, who looked back at him with fierce defiance. Erin’s radio crackled. He immediately held it back to his mouth. “Times up Abbey, if I don’t hear from you within—”
“I’m here,” said Abbey from his radio.
Relief ran through the prisoners.
Erin whirled around. “Finally! I could sense you. I knew you were out there.” He squinted his eyes, looking into the distance. “I’m also sensing… something else.” He looked at one of the nearby soldiers, who nodded, clicking on his own radio and started relaying orders. “I wonder. Have you brought friends?”
“It’s over Erin. Hand yourself over to those you are holding captive and I will let your people go.”
He smiled. “So you have brought company. Well you should know so have I—”
“From the looks of it Mitchells people have taken a battering, and you have lost some of your hardware.”
“Oh I don’t mean them. I mean the Cascaders that I brought with me and their creatures. Which I’ve held back until the time was right. And I would say that time is now.” There was silence from his radio. “Nobody else has to die. All you have to do is surrender yourself to me. Then we will leave and your friends get to live. Or...” He walked to Brad, raising his gun a few inches from his forehead. Brad straightened his back and fixed his eyes on the man in front of him.
“Okay! Do not kill anyone else! I’ll meet you at the main junction in the town.”
Erin’s gun remained in position. “If you are thinking of playing any games—”
“No games. I’ll be there.”
*****
Bass wasn’t sure what the creature was he was riding with two others on, but it had scooped him up with one of its claws and then they were retreating along the road, which they had been fighting over for the past hour.
Other creatures soared through the air overhead, all heading in the same direction, to the last defensive point, close to the Core.
He clicked on his radio. “We’re heading back to Alpha. Over!”
A string of explosions were just audible above the roars and screeches of the E.L.F’s as a row of battle tanks fired shells over the heads of those retreating.
The creature Bass and the others were on bounded forward, over rocks and fallen pieces of fencing and onto the cement parking lot which was full of military hardware desperately firing at the oncoming hordes of Hulathen.
As the creature came to a halt, Bass slid off and ran forward between concrete blocks that had been erected as part of a defensive wall. He glanced back at the ranks of Hulathen who were relentlessly walking forward, while firing their particle beam weapons. A tank exploded sending the soldiers using it as a shield flying through the air and landing like rag dolls on the solid ground.
Most of the E.L.F’s had been killed, but a few were still tussling with some of the Hulathen. To Bass it looked like a scene from the films he loved as a kid, of two prehistoric monsters fighting to the death. He ran forward shouting at their nearby Cascaders. “Pull your creatures back! Pull them back!”
Some heard and together with their creatures started running back towards the main entrance to the Core.
A stream of projectiles flew from the human defenders, some exploding against the Hulathen on impact, while intense beams of different hues answered, scything through human and machine alike.
Looking around it was obvious the defenders were losing. He clicked on his radio. “Everyone retreat back to the Core! Over!” He ran from soldier to soldier dragging them back to the slope which ran down to the large metal entrance doors.
Some of the remaining tanks started reversing towards the entrance, while soldiers ran between them. A giant sloth like E.L.F bounded over them and landed on the slope, then ran inside with its Cascader on its back. Other flying E.L.F’s dived down from the sky and into the darkness of the underground tunnel.
As Bass ran towards the huge closing doors, he could feel the heat of the Hulathen's weapons as the beams cooked the air around him. He pushed his legs, despite the pain of past injuries and saw soldiers falling to the ground out of the corner of his eyes. Looking forward, the doors were almost entirely closed with the gap between them only a few feet wide.
He stumbled, his legs giving out underneath him and he fell through the decreasing space, his shoulders rubbing against the giant steel doors, as they slammed closed behind him. The high ceilinged tunnel was alive with exhausted and injured soldiers, creatures and damaged military vehicles. He quickly shifted his view back to the huge doors.
They shuddered, but remained shut.
Holding…
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Forgotten traffic signal boxes hanging from cables, swayed in the noonday sun. A gas station sat on one corner of the wide junction, while a drive through restaurant sat on another. In the center fifteen people including Brad and Major Hoxted were on their knees. And in front of them, was Erin with a number of his men. A long convoy of his remaining vehicles stretched hundreds of yards towards the nearby town, and on the forecourts and mud covered ground all around were creatures of all sizes. Everyone human or not was waiting.
Erin wiped his brow with the back of his hand, then clicked on his radio. “I’m not a patient man Abbey. Do not make me wait any longer.”
Someone shouted to look up into the sky, and a small dark cross shape appeared high above them, but rapidly increased in size.
The shape became clearer until everyone could see the large wings of Abbey’s E.L.F beating the air, as they descended. The updraft dispersed the dust from the concrete and Mo lowered Abbey to the ground. He then instantly took back up into the cool blue sky.
She stood her ground twenty feet away from Erin and the hostages. “I’m here, now let them go!”
Erin grinned and walked slowly towards her until she was within arm’s reach. “It is good to see you!” He grabbed and pulled her into him for an embrace.
She pushed him off of her. “You got what you want. Now let them go!” She looked across at the drained and grime covered individuals wavering in the heat, then back at him. He was just standing there, not talking, but she could feel his mind probing hers, trying to find a way to remove her will.
She stepped back, shaking her head. “Get out of my head! You said you would let them go!”
He tilted his head briefly and she felt the pressure ease up inside her skull. “Hmm we all say lots of things in the heat of the moment. I could let them go, or I could keep them, so you do as you’re told.” He walked forward placing his hands again on both of her shoulders. His closeness made her stomach turn. “If you just stopped resisting, give yourself—”
“Get away from her!” shouted Brad from behind them. The thud of a rifle butt hitting his head quickly followed.
“No!” Abbey shouted then wrangled herself from Erin and ran over to Brad who was laying on the floor, trying to get back to his knee’s despite his hands being tied. She looked back at Erin who was smiling. “If I give myself to you, what guarantee do I have that you will let them all go?”
Erin walked forward, nodding, seemingly in conversation with himself. “That is a dilemma for you, I agree.” He sighed. “Okay. I will let all of them go, apart from this one, the old man. I feel he still needs to pay for his crimes.”
Abbey shook her head, while being just a few inches from Brads.
He grimaced. “Don’t do it…”
She looked at him with tears in her eyes. “I have to save them. It’s the only chance they have.”
She looked back to Erin. “Okay, let them go.”
Erin looked at the nearby soldiers, who then stepped forward, untied the prisoners apart from Brad and pulled them to their feet. Hoxted and the others looked around bewildered then started jogging towards the south. Brad nodded to the major as she moved away.
“Right, now let’s get—”
Abbey stood up and looked at Erin angrily. “Wait until they are safely away!”
Erin frowned. “What did I say about not being a patient man?” He then grabbed her temples, his thumbs pressing into her skin. A jolt flowed through Abbey’s body.
Have to resist.
Even though she was repeating the words to herself, she could feel his mind flooding through hers, moving into her memories and dreams, replacing her desires with his own. She wanted to reach for the Glock handgun in the back of her waist belt, but instead she stood there as he zombified her.
Then the grip was gone. She hadn’t realized her eyes were closed, but on opening them she looked upon Erin’s face, frozen. He staggered back, reaching around his side as a red patch started to expand. She looked at Brad, in his hand a knife and his mouth was opening and closing, desperately telling her something, but her mind felt like a lead weight in her skull.
R… Run?
She and Erin both went for their handguns and two explosive shots rang out simultaneously. She screamed in anguish as Brad fell backwards and lunged to catch him as Erin’s lifeless body fell to the ground. Out of the corner of her eye as she cradled Brad’s head in her arms, she could see Erin’s people raising their guns at her, while others ran towards their dead leader.
“Stay with me!” she said to Brad as his eyes flickered. He gripped her hand momentarily, his expression changing from one of pain to a smile, then fell limp. Tears streamed down her face, as gunfire started up all around her. She knew the battle had begun, but she didn’t care as she looked down upon her dead friend.
*****
Bass ran into main operations at the Core, dodging people running the other way. On the screens all around him were multiple video feeds across the camp, and the outside of the Core.
“The main doors are not going to last much longer, they’re cutting their way through!” He said to Trow.
The general seemed transfixed by the destruction of buildings in the capital. Skyscrapers were collapsing in clouds of dust, while orange beams scythed through the sky.
“General?”
She shook her head. “Yes, what is it?”
Elijah handed her a piece of paper. She nodded and the older man continued with his planning.
“They’re almost through the main doors,” said Bass.
“Is our defensive parameter secure?”
“For now.” He looked at the video feeds. “The capitals taking a pounding.”
“This fight is not over yet,” said Elijah while continuing his work.
A young soldier nearby nodded into her headset then looked back at the general. “Ma’am, they have broken into the fourth and twelfth bunkers, but the others are holding.”
“Tell Baker to deploy his unit to help out those bunkers, and how are the Cascaders doing in the capital?”
“They have taken heavy casualties,” said the soldier.
Trow frowned. “Tell them to find shelter where they can.”
The soldier nodded then talked into her mike.
Bass looked at the chaos around him, he knew he would be of better use elsewhere. “I’m going to the first perimeter.”
Trow looked at him, nodded while smiling then returned to the five voices around her asking for what to do next.
