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The Rogue Archon: Chapter 7
"I count twelve." Jace reported. "Four in the towers and eight on the ground"
"There will be more inside." Dallo replied certainly. "Many more."
The terrain was fairly agreeable for a stealthy approach. Dunes broke up the horizon all around the compound, making it easier for them to move in close without being detected. Using his helmet visor, Jace had zoomed in on the four watchtowers surrounding the main structure. Only one of the creatures stood guard in each tower, and even from a distance Jace could tell that they did not appear to be particularly vigilant. Evidently, the Sirsh'th were unafraid of counter attack from the Taigari and as a result their patrols were few and far between and their sentries were lax in their duties. Jace hoped it would give them the advantage they needed.
Like the rest of the Sirsh'th structures on Terana, the compound and the towers surrounding it were hastily constructed out of what materials the invaders could bring in or scavenge. Jace pointed this out to his companions.
"Those aren't exactly the sturdiest of supports on those towers. I'd bet one of the heat grenades might be enough to bring it down if it was well placed." Jace had explained the concept of these grenades to Torun and Dallo the day before but had not wanted to waste any of them on a demonstration.
"This entrance looks the least guarded, but as soon as the commotion starts, all eyes will be on it." Jace continued.
Dallo frowned as he pieced together information. The older Taigari warrior was outmatched by Torun in strength and speed, but more than made up for it with a keen mind for tactics and sheer determination. Whereas Jace often had to go over a plan with Torun in great detail, Dallo could be given the pieces and find the whole on his own.
"You need a distraction elsewhere." Dallo confirmed what Jace had been about to say.
Jace nodded, appreciating the wit of his companion. "Exactly. Can one of you get in close enough to attach one or two of these grenades to the foot of the southeast tower?" The explosive ordinance of the Harmonious Light that Ryn had provided was versatile. The small bombs could be activated to be thrown like a standard grenade, but also could be placed to be detonated remotely.
Torun nodded vigorously. "I can do it."
Jace put up a hand to slow the eager warrior. "I mean do it quietly. Your jumpsuits have camouflage on them, and we still have a few hours until sunrise. Can you get in and get back without being noticed?"
Torun's face hardened. "Taigari hunters can spear their prey before it can even scent them. Consider it done, Holy One."
"It's just Jace." The whole deity schtick had started to wear on him, and Jace figured since they were all probably about to die together the three of them may as well be on familiar terms.
Torun slipped away and Jace watched him activate his camouflage as they had practiced and seemingly melt into the night. The suit's camouflage was not perfect, but it did a decent job of mimicking the color patterns of what lay behind it. If the wearer stood still, especially in low light, it would be easy to pass an eye right over them without noticing.
Of course, with the reassembled suit Jace wore, it affected his ability to use the camouflage properly since the armored sections he had added would not replicate their background. Thus, the three of them had agreed that the stealthier aspects of their plan would be undertaken by the two Taigari with functioning suits.
Dallo and Jace waited tensely, listening close for any sound or indication that Torun had been discovered. Minutes felt like hours as they waited and waited. Jace knew from time spent around seasoned combat veterans that the waiting was so often what drove people to ruin a good plan. They just had to be patient. In the back of his mind, Ryn echoed the sentiment, offering soft reassurances.
Suddenly, Torun appeared beside them, causing Dallo to jump violently. They had been so focused on the activity within the compound that they had not noticed the shimmering shifting outline of his camouflaged suit as he returned.
"It is done." Torun asserted.
"Good job." Jace sighed, staring down at the base like a sky-diver looking over the edge, hesitant to take that final irreversible plunge. "Are we ready?"
"We are." Dallo gripped his weapon tightly.
"Alright, get to your positions and stick to the plan. With any luck, we'll be in and out before they figure out what's happened."
As Jace waited for his companions to ready themselves, his finger hovered over the detonation button for the small bombs Torun planted. This was it. One small movement and there would be no turning back.
Two explosions lit up the dark of the morning and shattered the silence. One of the far watchtowers teetered precariously, then began to fall. With a thrill of excitement, Jace saw that the tower fell in such a way that it crashed heavily into the other guard tower on the far side of the compound, taking it down too. The screeching of metal was deafening even from their distance.
As chaos erupted in the small base below them, the guards at the entrance closer to them began sprinting towards the source of the commotion. Jace counted slowly to twenty, giving them a solid head start, then pressed the button on his wrist link to signal Torun and Dallo. Then he was running.
Jace ran as fast as he had ever run before, as he heard the sounds of the two Taigari warriors opening fire. They would shoot short bursts then fall silent as they changed position to give the illusion of larger numbers. An alarm began to blare from somewhere inside the main tower.
One side of Jace's visor flashed red, drawing his attention that direction just as one of the Sirsh'th dropped from one of the still standing watchtowers. Without hesitation, Jace blasted the creature square in the chest, thanking Calae for her advance warning.
Just as Jace reached the entrance to the compound he skidded to a halt in the sand. The door slid noisily open and five more Sirsh'th soldiers trooped out, armed and scanning for threats. Two of them immediately began searching the surrounding dunes with weapons aimed. The other three stopped in confusion as they saw Jace's shimmering outline, partially cloaked by the camouflage with odd bits of slivery-blue plate covering parts of him.
Wasting no time, Jace used both the pistols he carried to drop the three in the center before they could react. One of the other two was brought down by a well-placed shot from Dallo or Torun. The final creature had enough time to take a shot at Jace before being dispatched like his companions. The hot plasma bolt slammed into one of the plates Jace had fixed to his armor and sizzled, almost knocking Jace off his feet and leaving a scorched dark circle but doing no real damage.
Regaining his footing just as the door was sliding closed again, Jace managed to slip inside just in time and the door shut behind him. The fight continued outside, but Jace could barely hear it through the walls and over the sound of the blaring alarm.
Much like the outside, the inside of the spire-like tower was unsightly and industrial in appearance. Piping and wiring ran along the ceiling, and the walls were cold earthy metal. Nothing like the vibrant and sleek metallic colors that the Harmonious Light favored in their constructs.
It seemed that their plan was working for now. Jace only encountered two startled Sirsh'th as he jogged through the seemingly endless hallway that were easily dispatched. The creatures still believed the threat to be outside and had not yet realized they had been infiltrated.
"Calae, do you know where I'm going?"
"Scans of the structure suggest that the main power source is several floors above you." Calae's voice came through his helmet.
As he rounded a corner, several more Sirsh'th turned to face him, weapons at the ready. He skidded to a halt and suddenly the propulsion jets in the boots of his jumpsuit activated of their own accord, launching him back around the corner just as a barrage of plasma tore through the space he had just vacated.
"Nice save." He commented to Calae as he took off back in the direction he had come, blasting shots back over his shoulder as the creatures gave chase. Coming around a corner, Jace's heart sank as he saw that it was a dead end with only one door to one side. It appeared to be an elevator, and Jace pounded the button several times before turning to face his pursuers.
They rounded the corner and Jace blasted two of them right away. They returned fire and Jace did his best to hide in the small doorway of the elevator. A hot bolt of plasma grazed his elbow and he felt several links of the durable mesh give way under the strain. Jace knew this was unwinnable.
Suddenly a commotion went up from the approaching Sirsh'th. Jace poked his head out to see that something had drawn their attention away from him, and a larger number of them now lay dead in the hallway. He didn't need to think twice to press his advantage. Jace whirled out into the hallway and opened up with both of his pistols on the remaining brutes. It became apparent that someone was doing the same from the other side, as more and more of them dropped.
It was over in seconds. The squad of well over a dozen Sirsh'th lay with smoking holes in their exosuits, the life draining from them. Jace brushed his elbow and examined the damage. The shot had only melted through a few of the links of mesh. It weakened the material but did not pose much of a threat.
Dallo rounded the corner, his big rifle venting exhaust from the spent plasma cartridges. When he saw Jace, he deactivated his helmet. For the first time since meeting the man, Jace saw him wearing a wide grin. The Taigari's jumpsuit was badly damaged, obviously having taken several direct hits, but Dallo didn't seem bothered in the slightest.
"Saved my ass there." Jace admitted, giving Dallo an approving nod. "How did you get in here?"
"We decided I would follow you to see if you need help. Outside was not much fun with two of us." Jace could have been wrong, but he was pretty sure that had been an attempt at humor.
"What about Torun?" Jace looked around worriedly for any sign of the younger warrior.
Dallo scoffed. "The boy is having the time of his life. With your magic and his skills, these Demons cannot find him, even if he is right at their feet."
Jace was impressed. The Taigari truly seemed to revel in combat. No wonder they had survived so long on their own. Well, at least someone was having fun, he thought to himself.
Just then, the elevator door creaked open, revealing a large and very industrial looking lift that Jace was not sure he trusted. He motioned Dallo to follow him aboard. Despite its looks, the elevator did not move or sag at all with their weight. There was a control panel, but the "numbers" were strange configurations of squiggles and dots. Jace looked to Dallo who shook his head and shrugged.
After a moment of trying to decipher the strange numerals, Jace was about to give up and make a guess when suddenly the elevator closed on its own and lurched upward.
"Shit..." Jace realized what must have happened. "Someone else must have called for it. Be ready."
Dallo obviously didn't understand what Jace was talking about and was intimidated by the sudden shift in the ground underneath him, but at the words "be ready." He straightened his back and nodded resolutely. Yet another thing Jace was beginning to appreciate about the Taigari; even in the face of things that were beyond them, when the time came for action, they did not hesitate even if they did not fully understand.
The elevator traveled upward for what Jace guessed must have been several floors, all the while the alarm continued to blare. Jace had tuned it out before when things were tense, but now, standing on the elevator waiting, it was hard to ignore with how loud it was.
Jace swore again when the elevator opened. The hallway was full of Sirsh'th, at least twenty of them, waiting with weapons pointed at the elevator. It was an ambush.
"Now it is my turn!" Jace could have sworn Ryn's voice came from right next to him with how clear it had sounded. Suddenly he felt his young lover's presence in his mind, stronger than ever since their separation. Ryn poured into every corner of his being, the power and wisdom of ancient Archons soaked through Jace. Jace realized that this must have been what Ryn felt like when Jace had taken control of him, yet he had no idea how Ryn was manifesting his presence so strongly from so far away. It was frightening, even terrifying in some ways, to have someone else's consciousness so completely within him. Despite that, every part of this essence was a part of Ryn, and as such, Jace instinctively welcomed it.
All this happened within a fraction of a second after the door opened. Without any conscious decision of his own, Jace dropped one of his pistols and raised a hand, just as the Sirsh'th opened fire on them. Time slowed as the deadly hail of plasma bore down on the two of them, certain to tear them to pieces.
Then it stopped. The plasma bolts fizzled and died in midair several feet away from their intended targets. Jace felt his own arm perform a wrenching motion, then watched in shock as weapons were torn from the hands of the Sirsh'th and sent skittering across the floor towards the elevator.
Dallo, not caring where the advantage came from, reacted first, opening fire on the disarmed aliens. Panic erupted from the Sirsh'th as they struggled to figure out what had happened. Some tried to draw side-arms, but by then, Jace had recovered himself and began shooting down foes where they stood as well. Within seconds, the ambush had been reduced to a pile of bodies and mangled exosuits.
Panting with the adrenaline surge, Jace retrieved his other pistol before leaning heavily against the wall.
"How did you do that?" He silently asked Ryn.
"There was another psionic relay like the one you're wearing aboard Radiance." Ryn told him. "I found it yesterday, but I did not know if it would work in this way." Their connection was weak and Ryn's mind seemed to drift lazily.
"Are you alright?" Jace asked.
He could feel Ryn nod his head. "I will be. I have never done such a thing before. I am... very tired..." Suddenly the connection went dark. Not the horrifying and rending darkness that Ryn had spoken about when his previous lover had been killed, but enough to frighten Jace.
"Calae. What happened to Ryn?" Jace demanded worriedly.
"Archon Embara has lost consciousness, Ambassador." Calae informed him calmly. "I will monitor his vitals, though I do not at this time believe there is cause for concern. You should know however that Radiance has enough power to sustain its shield at current capacity for about two more hours."
"Two hours?" Jace asked harshly. "What happened to three days?"
"Three days was an estimate made nearly two days ago." Calae told him infuriatingly. "Since your assault began on the surface, the Sirsh'th in orbit have increased their attempts to crack the shield, even to the point of risking danger to their own ship."
"I guess we have to hurry then." Jace motioned with his head for Dallo as he took off down the hall once more, jumping over piles of dead Sirsh'th.
"It would seem that the hub for this facility is on the same level that you currently are at." Calae said. "I am mapping your progress to prevent backtracking."
"Thank you." Jace growled. Even when Calae was being helpful, Jace often got the impression she was being somehow petulant towards him. He knew very well that he would be dead several times over if not for her, but he also knew that she was very protective of her Archon. It was not to say that she did not approve of their relationship, but that her loyalty to Jace was due only to her loyalty to Ryn.
They met several pockets of resistance on this floor. Jace took a hard hit right between the shoulder blades that sent him sprawling and burned him badly before Dallo brought down the offender. Dallo's suit was a mess, and Jace knew he must be in severe pain, but he never showed it. The structure was quite large, and it took them a long time to find what they were looking for.
Finally, rounding a corner, they found a room guarded by four Sirsh'th. Jace took another hit to one of his chest plates, which were beginning to warp under the heat and pressure, but they quickly gunned down the guards. Inside was a series of terminals and monitors that spanned two of the four walls. This was a hub if Jace had ever seen one, and Calae confirmed his suspicions.
Jace rushed over to what looked like the central terminal and looked down at the strange markings on the screen. "Alright Calae, now what?"
"You will need to attach your wrist link to the terminal. I should be able to do the rest. There is a cord in the belt of your jumpsuit."
Quickly pulling out the cord, Jace attached one end to the port on his wrist link then scanned the terminal for a receiving port to place the other end. His heart sank. The ports on the terminal were vastly different than the ones used by the Harmonious Light. None of them would even remotely match the cord that Jace held.
Jace cursed himself for not thinking of this before. "Calae, we need a plan b." He told her urgently.
Calae was silent for a time. "This technology is unfamiliar to me, Ambassador. I regret that my experiences have not prepared me for this."
Stunned, Jace tried to comprehend what Calae had just said. The super-intelligent anima always had something, some kind of input or suggestion. If she couldn't come up with anything, what chance did they have? Commotion could be heard in the hallway and Jace looked up fearfully.
"I will hold them back." Dallo informed solemnly. Before Jace could stop him, the brave Taigari opened the door and engaged the enemy, closing it behind him.
Jace's mind whirled. They had come so far and were so close. They couldn't be defeated by a simple cord. Inspecting the ports on the terminal once more, an idea began to form. As soon as it did, his engineer brain began shooting holes in this plan, but it was the only one he had. Frantically, Jace dropped to his knees and began hunting. He searched every single terminal in the room until he finally found what he was looking for.
"Aha!" Jace exclaimed in excitement, launching to his feet. One part to his plan fell into place as he yanked a cord out of one of the terminals, causing several monitors to go dark. "Hope we don't need those." He winced. Closely examining the end of the cord he had just pulled, Jace found that it was the exact type to fit into the ports on the terminal he needed.
Pulling out a simple multitool from the belt of the jumpsuit, Jace carefully cut open the rubber coating of the cord he had found and then did the same, albeit with more effort, to the dense mesh insulation of the cord that had come with his wrist link.
Sitting down and turning on the spotlight on his visor, Jace looked at the individual wires running through each cord. It was not the same construct, but his training told him that he just might be able to arrange them in such a way that data could pass through.
Very gently, he began to clip individual wires from each of the cords. It was a painstaking process, and about halfway through he realized that the sounds of combat from outside had stopped. He jumped when the door slid open once more. Dallo limped through, looking in rough shape.
Part of his helmet had been blasted away and there was a nasty burn along his chin. There were parts of his suit where the mesh had been damaged so badly that Jace could almost see through it to the badly burned skin underneath. One arm hung loosely at his side.
"Weapon." Dallo demanded as he closed the door behind him, not bothering with any kind of formality. The large rifle Dallo had been using was not operated well with only one hand, and apparently Dallo's other arm had been injured. Jace quickly tossed the Taigari one of his pistols before returning to work.
"How much time do you need?" Dallo asked, still not showing much sign of the immense pain he must have been in.
"Ten minutes. Maybe fifteen." Jace estimated. As he spoke there was more commotion in the hallway. Before Dallo could rush off to certain death however, Calae stopped him.
"If you shoot the control panel for the door, it will likely lock the room down as a failsafe." She informed.
Not hesitating, Dallo leveled his gun at the panel and blasted it. A loud buzzing sound made Jace jump, and a red light came on over the door.
"Thank you, Calae." Jace said sincerely, as they began to hear pounding and angry chatter from outside the room.
"It will not keep them out for long." Calae warned, although Jace had already known that.
"There's medical gel in your belt." Jace told Dallo. "Put it on your wounds. It will help."
As Dallo mumbled his thanks, an idea came to Jace that patched one of the holes in his plan. He quickly finished cutting the wires that he needed then pulled out his own pack of medical gel. In order to splice the cords, he needed something to connect them with. One at a time, he drew the wires together, and used a dab of the medical gel to hold them in place. The gel hardened quickly and cemented the wires together.
"Holy shit... It's working..." Jace breathed in disbelief as he watched his patch job coming together slowly.
Just then, the angry buzzing noise sounded again and the door to the room began to slide open.
"Dallo, look out!" Jace yelled. The Taigari warrior had already taken cover behind one of the terminals as a plasma bolt whizzed by his head. He popped out and returned fire. Jace heard a scream from outside the door.
Trying to tune out the firefight, Jace focused on connecting the last of the wires. Suddenly he heard Dallo cry out in pain.
Looking up, he saw the Taigari warrior holding a hand to his chest, which was smoking badly. The smell of burning flesh permeated the room. When he took his hand away, Jace saw that the bolt that had struck him had gone right through the jumpsuit, making an ugly blackened mark in the center of Dallo's chest, right where his terrible scar had been before.
With a cry of rage, the Taigari warrior picked himself up out of the cover he was hidden behind. Shouting a salute to the gods, he opened fire on the demons that were beginning to force their way into the room. Another scorching blast slammed into Dallo's already injured shoulder and he sank to his knees, cursing his foes, never once taking his finger off the trigger as a pile of bodies began forming in the doorway.
More Sirsh'th climbed over the corpses of their comrades, peppering the wounded Taigari with more deadly bolts. Dallo screamed in agony and defiance, shooting down four more of the invaders that had taken everything from him before one more well-placed plasma shot struck him in the chest again, sending him sprawling back on the ground, gasping.
Jace felt tears in his eyes as he witnessed the bravery of a man he barely knew. Determination surged through him. The Sirsh'th had not realized he was there yet. He quickly attached the last wire with his makeshift solder, then sent a brief prayer up to the Light, or the Taigari gods, or anyone that might be listening. Wrapping his patchwork Frankenstein's cord in extra rubber from the unused cord, and sealing it with a dab of medical gel, Jace hastily plugged the correct ends into his wrist link and the terminal.
A shout went up from the Sirsh'th that had shoveled their way through the pile of corpses Dallo had created. They had seen him. A plasma bold whizzed dangerously close to Jace's head. Jace pulled out his own pistol to return fire when suddenly, everything went pitch black.