The next few days brought little excitement and long, grueling hours spent at the observation point. Talon Squad had found a path along the side of the hill that, while a more strenuous climb, avoided the strange worms.
“I have never seen such creatures,” said Hrake one day as the Squad had breakfast down at their camp. “I suppose even Hruduk is grander than I knew.”
“Yes,” replied Reclan sarcastically. “Grand. That’s the word that comes to mind.”
“Certainly,” said Hrake sagely. “While the worms may be a horror and a danger to us, they are indeed grand. The more I see of the Progenitor’s designs, the more humbled I am in their presence.”
Reclan raised an eyebrow in thought, then shook her head. The Hrudukite warrior was a mystic of sorts. On some level Reclan envied that, but the world of machines had always made more sense to her.
“I’m going to avoid them all the same,” said Vanbrook.
Hrake chuckled softly, nodding his head.
A soft humming came over the water, and Talon Squad looked up to see the Gladius skirting just over the surface, quickly coming up to the shore and landing on the rocky beach.
Soon thereafter six figures emerged from the small gunship.
The first two were Republic Intelligence Services Agents Chully and Huluna. Chully was a Talpidarian male, chewing on a pen and wearing a long, dark overcoat and a scowl. Huluna was a Wabuluban female with mechanical legs and an appreciably more friendly demeanor than her partner.
The other four were Grepk and the three other Marines that made up his squad. Grepk was an enormous Raki with bright, dark eyes and a crimson shell. With him were Krum-Bahk, the Krauqian duelist-turned-Marine; Keshri, a fierce Talpidarian brawler; and Fenyn, a broad Human male with a kind smile and a wicked right hook. The four Marines were all wearing powered blue armor that managed to be both massive and sleek, with bubble helmets and jetpacks that, along with dual-barrelled ballistic and energy rifles, made them each something akin to a walking fighter craft.
"Welcome," said Raivyn.
"Thanks for serving as an advanced guard," said Huluna. "We didn't get much from the surveillance feed, but at least we know nothing happened."
Raivyn nodded. "Hasn't exactly been the most exciting assignment, that's for sure."
"We'd like to check out the equipment and add some of our own devices," said Chully.
"It's all set up at the peak," said Reclan. "But I'd advise having one of us guide you up a side route we've established. The worms living in the rock seem mighty hungry."
Before Reclan had finished speaking, Keshri had picked up Chully in a bear hug.
"Don't you dare," sneered the RIS agent.
Vanbrook saw a smirk on Keshri's face as she ignited her jetpack and cruised up over the worm's territory, Chully being dragged along with her.
"We gotta get jetpacks," said Reclan to no one in particular.
Krum-Bahk turned to Vanbrook casually. "Did you know those two are married?"
"I did not," said Vanbrook as he watched the couple jet off to the top of the hill. "How's that working out?"
"Not too well, as I understand it," answered Krum-Bahk.
Vanbrook nodded sagely.
Huluna hopped gracefully into Fenyn's arms. The human smiled wryly and flew her up to her partner.
The Army pilot who'd flown the shuttle walked up to Raivyn. "I guess I'll head back to Gred. Thanks for the memories."
"Alright, thanks," answered Raivyn. "And give our thanks to Sergeant Hargen, too."
The pilot waved noncommittally as she walked back to the shuttle. However, before she had walked the whole way up the ramp, the shuttle had exploded into a million pieces and she was consumed in the fire ball.
"Into the Gladius, now!" shouted Grepk.
A second rocket shot towards the surveillance station, and Keshri scooped up Chully and rocketed towards the Gladius. Fenyn was too far from Huluna to grab her, and threw himself into the path of the rocket instead, shielding her from the blast. The shockwave knocked Huluna's feet out from under her and she tumbled down the hillside, the grasping maws of the worms reaching for her immediately.
"Krum!" shouted Vanbrook. "Take me up there!"
Without a moment's hesitation, Krum-Bahk picked up Vanbrook and shot up the hillside.
"Drop me!" cried Vanbrook when he was over Huluna. "Now go get Fenyn!" he said as he dropped to the hillside.
Down below, the others had scrambled into the Gladius, with Grepk rushing to the controls to see what was hitting them.
"Looks like there's some kind of craft above us," he said.
"We've got to wait for the others," said Raivyn.
"Don't worry," said Grepk. "The Gladius is a fortress unto itself. And an armed one, at that."
Meanwhile, Vanbrook was reaching out to grab onto one of Huluna's tentacles. At the same time, one of the worms grabbed one of her mechanical legs and quickly began to retract into its hole.
"I'm gonna regret this," said Vanbrook as he held on tight, allowing himself to be sucked into the hole along with her.
Back at the Gladius, guns had sprouted from the back of the ship, aimed towards the sky and giving the ship the appearance of a deadly, spined fish. A third missile blasted into the Gladius's shield, but didn't do any damage.
Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.
"Fire," said Grepk with a voice that rang with danger and satisfaction.
The guns shot into the sky, hitting the unseen vessel that had been firing on them and sending it spiraling to the ground.
Within the hillside, Vanbrook was being dragged through a rocky tunnel, his body battered by jutting stones. The tunnel suddenly opened up and he activated his shoulder-mounted flood light as Huluna slipped from his grasp. He fell a few feet and rolled, standing up and staring into the slavering maw of the source of all the worms. Little more than a quivering mouth full of teeth, the creature's body sat on the floor of the cave, the "worms" growing out of the corpulent mass. One of the worm-arms held Huluna and was preparing to toss her into the main mouth.
Vanbrook drew his revolver and emptied it into the beastly maw, causing the creature to scream and toss Huluna aside. An army of squirming white limbs groped towards Vanbrook, who was busily trying to reload. Huluna walked shakily into Vanbrook's light, opening a panel on one of her legs and pulling a small orb from within. She tossed the orb into the monstrous mouth.
"That oughta hold you over," she said.
The grenade she had thrown erupted, the echo booming through the cavern as chunks of whitish flesh and blue-green gore rained down on Vanbrook and Huluna.
“Lovely,” said Vanbrook when the last of the green mist had settled to the cave floor.
“Thanks, Vanbrook,” said Huluna, walking over to the wall they’d been dragged in through.
The wall was peppered with three to four foot wide holes through which the beast could stick its worm-like arms through. Though the tunnels weren’t straight, dim light could be seen shining in from the outside.
“Looks like we can crawl through these lower holes pretty easily,” said Huluna. “Though it’d be a lot easier without these stupid rigid legs- um- no offense.”
“None taken,” said Vanbrook with a good-natured chuckle.
Covered in green slime and bruises, the pair clambered out of the hillside and Vanbrook got on his comm. “Gladius, this is Vanbrook, Huluna is okay. We’re on our way over.”
Grepk watched the enemy ship crash beyond the hill. “Happy to hear that, Vanbrook. Looks like we took care of our missile problem.”
Vanbrook and Huluna were nearly to the ramp when Vanbrook looked over his shoulder to see Krum-Bahk carrying a bulk of twisted metal, his eyes glazed.
“Oh, no,” said Vanbrook, his heart dropping into his stomach.
Keshri and Grepk rushed down the ramp and helped Krum-Bahk carry his burden. They hefted Fenyn’s body up onto the gurney in the ship’s small med bay, lying on his back. Everyone else gathered at the door silently. Grepk went to turn him over to see the damage but Krum-Bahk reached his hand out to stop him.
“It’s - he’s gone,” said Krum-Bahk. “He took a missile directly to the back. There’s no reason to turn him over, I promise.”
Grepk nodded his understanding, his black eyes growing hard. He turned and walked briskly to the cockpit.
“We’re heading for the wreck,” he said. “Everyone get strapped in.”
***
Hoon-Kra stood on the surface of his new world, now dubbed Koomia in honor of his god. Cultists bustled around him, preparing the plains they’d landed on for the construction of the first Koomite temple. The planet was surprisingly peaceful on the surface, despite the raging storm and volcanoes that could be seen from orbit. All around him, tall, golden grasses blew in a cool breeze. He looked out to where one of his followers had walked over to a nearby stream to check the water. A blade flicked out of the grass and the cultist’s head was severed from his body.
Taken aback, Hoon-Kra hadn’t even called out yet when Darvik rushed past him, sword drawn. Others had seen the attack as well. Some went screaming back onto the ships while others drew weapons and trained them where the cultist lay dead somewhere under the gilded sea of grass.
As Darvik charged, a group of figures leapt out of the grass. Though roughly humanoid, they ran in a crouched position. They had slick, purple-blue skin and a series of small, black eyes across smooth foreheads. Their noseless faces had needle-toothed maws, smeared red with the cultist’s blood. What stood out more than any of these features were the three foot long forearms that tapered into blades starting about half way down, where small digits sprouted out, also coated in blood.
When Darvik had closed the distance, he began striking at the sword-arm monstrosities, parrying their feral strikes with ease. It was clear that they relied on ambush and animal savagery, not swordsmanship.
“Get out of the way, you madman!” screamed a cultist with a rifle.
Darvik snarled over his shoulder but dodged to the side, trying to open a line of fire. He cut down a number of the beasts but gunfire took out many more. The remainder tried to flee, but they were gunned down as well.
The silence that fell in the wake of the attack was broken suddenly by the sound of one person applauding. All eyes turned to Hoon-Kra.
“Well done, followers of Koo L’Koom! Well done!” he said with an air of satisfaction. “Everyone who remained outside will be duly rewarded! Those who fled will be remembered as well.”
Without elaborating any further, Hoon-Kra walked back on to the Swamp’s Pride and into his quarters. Seeing he had a message, he activated it as he poured himself a glass of honey-worm mead.
“Uncle,” the message began.
Hoon-Kra rolled his eyes and eased into his arm chair, glass in hand. It was his idiot nephew, Trar-Brak. He was supposed to be rendezvousing with more followers on Hruduk.
“We have spotted enemy ships spying on Zrykyk. They appear to be Republic.”
He furrowed his brow. This could be a problem, but he had considered the contingency and believed it to be solvable.
“We’ve fired on them, and only one ship remains.”
Hoon-Kra’s warty eyebrows shot up. The fool! Now was not the time for war with the Griffon Republic.
“It’s well shielded but I think-”
The message ended in an explosion of static. So much for Trar-Brak.
Hoon-Kra took a long pull from his glass. This would take some delicate diplomacy.
***
Jasken soared over the seas of Kirakna on Ol’ Blue, the silver-plumed griffon he kept aboard the Wingspan. Ever since monsoon season had passed, he had taken his old friend out for a ride as often as possible.
The stony island of Tra-Kirakna and the poly-domed city that shared its name shrank below them as they shot up into the sky. Jasken closed his eyes and breathed in the warm, salty air. He didn't enjoy being clayside. He didn't mind sailing through the aether, but he truly felt alive in the air.
His comm buzzed, shattering the illusion of freedom and calling him back to his responsibilities. He pulled on Blue's reins, bringing him around in a huge arc to land on one of Tra-Kirakna's rocky outcrops.
"Officer Dekken," he said, answering the call. "What do you need?"
"Wanted you to know, those parts I mentioned came in early," said the engineer. "The Wingspan should be ready ahead of schedule by about a week."
"Glad to hear it, Officer," said Jasken. "Will that be all?"
"Yes, sir," answered Dekken.
"I'll talk to you shortly, then," said Jasken, ending the call.
He was about to take off again when his comm buzzed again. Sighing, he answered.
"Mairen, what's going on?" he asked.
"Talon Squad is trying to reach you, sir. They're making a ripmed call from the Gladius. Their position on Hruduk has been attacked, a Marine and an Army pilot are dead, and the Gladius has taken down the offending ship."
"I'll be right there," he said, ending the call. "Sorry, boy, looks like you're heading back to the stables."
Blue roared, reveling in his own power as mighty wings pushed off the air and the two soared back to the Wingspan.