Renegade

Renegade Chapter 13

Dacia's team came back from their trip about two hours after they had left. For the third time since leaving Earth, a conference was called aboard the Guiding Star. When everyone was assembled, Dacia reported the team's findings.

"Okay," she began. "Those white crystal thingys outside are slightly radioactive, so Aria, when you and your team go out to get Rex and Nathan, you're gonna need to make sure to bring an environment suit for each of them. Have you decided who you are bringing with you? We only have five suits."

"I have decided on Caleb and Nils. Kokona has agreed to monitor us from here using radio transmitters and video cameras she had Gabriel attach to the suits," Aria said.

Nils spoke up. "Is it possible to fly the Guiding Star closer to the R'Nari camp? With the state Rex and Nathan could be in, it's too far for them go on foot. I know it might raise more than a few alarms, but..." he trailed off.

"We'd have a better chance at succeeding?" Kokona finished.

"Exactly."

"I believe that could be done," Kokona said. "How much further would you like to get?"

"Is right up to the front door possible?" Aria chimed in.

"That wouldn't be a good idea," Dacia commented. "As the front door is heavily guarded and at least 10 meters thick."

"Is there a backdoor we can use?" Aria asked.

"Yes, and what's more is we won't have to move the Guiding Star," Dacia responded.

Everyone in the room was confused. "How's that gonna work?" asked Caleb.

"Does anyone have a pen and some paper? I'm gonna draw a map and explain."

Petro found the requested materials and Dacia got to work. Five minutes later she had completed a rough sketch of the R'Nari camp where Rex was being held.

"Around the entire complex is a rather thick wall," she said, pointed to the map as she mentioned places. "But this section is partitioned off by a thinner wall. It's a hanger, and on your way out, just steal a ship and fly it back here. If you're lucky, one of our ships that they stole might be there. On the exterior wall, there is a small door that could be opened and crawled through to get inside.

"Now Rex and Nathan are likely to be in one of these outer buildings. They look like they might be barracks or something like that. In middle, here, is a central tower. Kinda shaped like an octagon. There's searchlights and stuff on top. Guards as well. Be careful not to be seen, otherwise you'll be dead."

Nils gave a question look and opened his mouth as if to speak.

Dacia intercepted him saying, "Getting in that building will be necessary because I don't know which building they are in, and that is where that information would be. My brain is in tactical mode. Do not interrupt.

"Once you find the information, you're pretty much on your own. Have courage and remember your training."

***

Aria was sitting by the exit of the Guiding Star holding the helmet in her hands, nervous. Her environment suit fit her well enough, but not perfectly. It was too tight around her arms and legs. Caleb and Nils were still figuring out how everything in the heads-up-display in their helmets worked. The person who had come up with a lot of the technology in the suits was one of Aria's former roommates from school, so she already knew the basics of how that system worked.

Dacia had helped Aria tie her new samurai sword around her waist, and had also loaned her a shotgun that had also been produced from the magical bag of weapons, which is how Aria started to refer to her cousin's duffle bag. Finally the two guards had been deemed ready by Petro, who had also been one of Aria's roomates in school, although he was a number of years older than her.

The group of two guards and their princess now stood outside the Guiding Star. Dacia was standing on top of the ramp, giving them last minute directions.

"After you get out of this cluster of those crystals, look for a big one that is split into two peaks. Head towards it. When you reach it, take a left and continue on straight. You'll see the camp after a bit," she said, then returned to the proper inside of the ship with the ramp folding up behind her.

"Let's do this thing," Caleb yelled, trying to mask his fear with bravado.

Nils shushed him. "We don't want to be spotted sooner than necessary, and yelling doesn't help."

Aria gave the two guards a pointed look, and started moving forward.

"After a bit" turned out to mean 45 minutes of hiking over rocks and crystals, and Caleb almost falling over the edge of a cliff, more than once. He had muscles, but not the cat-like reflexes required to traverse Hallion's surface completely unscathed that Nils and Aria had.

Once they did reach the camp, another wave of anxiety hit Aria. The imposing black wall rose up silently before them, and the central tower. For six months, she had wanted to see him again, hear his laughter infected everyone around him. Now that the chance was actually staring her in the face, it made her nervous. Aria didn't realize that she had stopped walking until Nils bumped into her.

"Keep moving," he hissed, slightly annoyed.

Another 15 minutes of hugging the wall while they snuck around led Aria and her guards to the door Dacia said would lead into the hanger.

It was an inconspicuous door, made to look like just another part of the wall. Right beside it was a small keypad with symbols nobody could read on the keys.

"We came all this way without someone that could read the aliens' language?" Caleb grumbled.

"Well, it's not like anyone would have expected us to," Nils clipped. "We're pretty much at war with the R'Nari. You'd be investigated for treason just for studying the language."

"Stop fighting you two," Aria commanded. "We have more important things to take care of right now. Caleb, just break the door down. It can't be that thick."

"Yes, ma'am."