Pax Galactica - A Space Opera

Chapter 25 - High Tension

Decker scooped up the supply pod and bolted. Jeeke/Gyee wasn't far behind him. The two raced through the remnants of the entranceway.

"Something's jamming our communications," Decker yelled as they ran. "Something with equivtech jammers."

They made it all the way to their repulsorcraft. Decker looked back and forth rapidly, trying to find what was jamming him. It would need to be relatively close by, probably in visual range. There was nothing but wasteland as far as the eye could see. Then he looked up.

A large closed-top repulsorcraft was roaring through the sky in the distance, heading straight for them and moving fast. That had to be the source of the jamming field.

<That thing isn't showing up on any of my sensors,> the Suit indicated.

<I know,> replied Decker. <It's cloaked. Give me a Perjurer.>

<I can't without permission,> said the Suit.

<We can't get permission the signal is being jammed!> snapped Decker.

<Then I can't give you any weapons,> replied the Suit.

<You sprelling heap of sub-sapient trash,> thought Decker. He grabbed one of the gug-gug-gug ion rifles and started inspecting it, trying to figure out how to fire it.

<You shouldn't use that without permission-> the Suit started.

<STOP TRYING TO TALK TO ME LIKE YOU'RE A PERSON!> Decker shouted in his head.

Jeeke/Gyeee saw what Decker was doing and took a rifle of her own.

The enemy repulsorcraft grew closer and closer, beginning to arc downwards slightly.

The triggering mechanism of the ion "rifle" was designed for a clumsy three-fingered gug-gug-gug pseudo-hand, but Decker found it. He wasn't going to win any sharpshooting competitions but he figured he could fire the weapon. That was good enough for him.

Decker fired up at the craft, the ionized particle beam flying wild. Jeeke/Gyeee joined him and the two continued to fire on the small flier.

The repulsorcraft fired back, the kinetic lance turret making a sound like thunder. The blast scored a direct hit on Decker and Jeeke/Gyeee's craft. It exploded in a fiery spray of shrapnel. The two were sent flying in either direction.

The enemy repulsorcraft did not change course. It was preparing to fly directly over the strongpoint. Decker's fears were confirmed.

He stood quickly, his shield down but otherwise unharmed. Jeeke/Gyeee lay prone on the ground.

"It's going to bomb the strongpoint!" Decker yelled. "We have to move!"

Jeeke/Gyeee couldn't hear him over the ringing in her otoliths. Decker helped her to a standing position. Her space suit was leaking again but that was the least of their problems. Decker pushed on her back to move her along and the two ran as fast as they could. Jeeke/Gyeee was noticably slowed by her injuries.

The repulsorcraft reached the point in the sky directly above the strongpoint and loosed its payload. The 5th dimensional bomb looked like a ball of light falling to the ground. The resulting hyperexplosion stretched out into the higher dimensions with a fractal-like beauty. The strongpoint was utterly annihilated. Dust and sand filled the air.

Old One bombs were as precise as they were powerful. The hyperexplosion was small enough that Decker and Jeeke/Gyeee were able to escape it, but the shockwave hit them both in the back like a kick from a mule. They were knocked forward on their faces.

The repulsorcraft continued to fly off in a straight line. Once it disappeared there would be no tracking it.

Decker rolled over, climbed to one knee, aimed directly in front of it, and fired off as many ion beams as he could as fast as he could. A lucky hit struck the craft in the nose. It began a rapid, uncontrolled descent.

Decker immediately went to check on Jeeke/Gyeee. She wasn't moving. He tried to shake her awake.

<She's dead,> the Suit indicated.

<This is your fault,> thought Decker.

<That is unreasonable!>

<SHUT UP!> thought Decker. <I don't want to hear you speak.>

Decker watched the repulsorcraft crash into the distant wastes.

Using a small AG field Decker pulled himself into the air and flung himself at the crash site as fast as he could. He came to an abrupt halt directly in front of it and lowered himself to his feet.

His training drone would have been proud.

The repulsorcraft had dug a shallow trench into the dirt where it landed. It was smoking profusely. The nose had been blasted to pieces.

Decker figured the occupants were probably injured but he wasn't in the mood to be gentle. He blasted off the door to the vehicle with a shot from his gug-gug-gug ion rifle.

The two xalaxians inside lay in pools of golden blood. One aimed a kinetic wand at its own head. Decker coldly raised his weapon and shot the alien's wand-arm off. The alien screamed in harmony.

"No," said Decker. "Not on your terms."

He grabbed the much larger xalaxian with one hand and, thanks to his enhanced strength, dragged it out of the vehicle. He tossed the alien aside and stepped in.

The other xalaxian wasn't moving. Probably dead. Decker didn't want to ask his suit and he didn't really care. He fired four quick shots, one at everything that looked like a computer, and tried to get in touch with the Overdog again. This time his implant was immediately able to make the connection. He must have hit the jammer.

<This is Squire Decker. We were attacked by the Long Shadow. Jeeke/Gyeee is dead. The strongpoint is destroyed. I have prisoners. You need to get over here right away.>

<Blood of Tellus, I'm on my way! Don't move!> came the reply.

Decker picked up the kinetic wand and it instantly evaporated in his hand.

"Sprell," he said to himself.

Decker got out of the repulsorcraft and went to check on the Long Shadow agent. The wounded xalaxian was attempting to crawl away on its remaining four limbs, leaving a trail of gold-smeared dirt behind it. Decker walked over and placed his foot on the alien's back.

"You're fine where you are," he said in Low Xalaxian, his mechanical second voice utterly failing to capture the contempt in his words.

He stood there with the injured enemy, desperately watching the sky.