After the Bomb E-Book

Suzann Dodd

• Herausgeber: BookRix
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

Human soldiers seeking to kill the ZerShaz invaders fire a bomb at the location he is expected to be.  Neither he, nor anyone is in that habitation.

The action of the soldiers causes disruption and retaliation against the people of Shalimar.

Leseprobe

Suzann Dodd

After the Bomb

BookRix GmbH & Co. KG81371 Munich

Soldier's Story

SOLDIER'S STORY

EVERITT BAILEYSHALIMAR

If I hadn't broken my leg I'd be with them. I'd be entering the zone, firing the bomb, running like hell. But I can't even walk, so they had to leave me. They'll be back if they can. I know it.

Zerks are Neanderthals--unable to chart a day much less week ahead. As any animal in this jungle they could attack, but not with long range strategy.

We knew Zerk King had to land on each mudball claimed conquered, 'inclusion', they called it.  He had to come to Shalimar. And we knew he'd land in the Engrevi.

The Engrevi was four point three million hectares of hills, rivers, deserts, plains, savannahs, name it, they got it, full of  animals. We needed to be as close to the Director's house as possible, yet far enough not to be seen.

A bomb on that house would incinerate the occupants and take out the ships which had to land on the other side of the river.  

We couldn't be too proactive. If we'd gone in the day after war, we'd add a lot of chances to be discovered. This meant we had to wait until sure of his invasion.

When their ships finally uplifted from Beta Mar, we got the go. We didn't know if they were coming here, but we had to be ready, had to get into the Zoo.

It was a beautiful night, storming, dark as a pit, making moving on unihover a near death experience, we made it in, as far in as we could.

We'd flown unlit, using tracking devices. Moving on the ground until the perimeter, then getting up as high as we could to leap the barriers. The entry point was selected as there was a pool of water just beyond the barrier where we could crash if we had to.

We didn't have to. The rain was powerful, lightening screwing up tracking devices, getting over the barrier done in tandem. Once in, we dismantled our flyers, buried the pieces in plasti sacks. If we had to retreat, we needed the hovers.

That done, we began the trek to Arena 1, a study warren twenty klics from the L.Z.

The weather made disabling monitors easy and Sanchez was the boy to do it, racing ahead, giving us the clear before we entered to have our picture snapped.  

We trekked in the storm, sloshing through mud, our mission; kill King Zerk, no greater in the history of the galaxy.

It took us seven hours to make 20k, then we sent the alert, the only one H.Q. would get. We were in, 'B' team was to stand down.

We made good time, though day nearly caught us. We shoved into the warren, down to the subbasement.  We couldn't touch anything in the Warren. Everything monitored. We lay in a lump, gaining strength. Ten hours later we stirred, stupefied. We pushed nutri-cubes in our mouths, drank our water, used the crap bags, barely able to move. We lay until dark, almost reluctant, left the hide.

We needed Up pills to get us moving and it was a horrible night. The moons were bright, the air clean and our scent called the beasts. We used the ultrahigh sound, but only at three second bursts, hoping the Zerks wouldn't pick up.

During heavy rain or wind, the sounder was safe, in still clarity, it became a target, an anomaly that could register on a com.  Stunners were okay for small animals, one shot and some were out for hours. Ultrahigh bothered large beasts. If they weren't hungry or in a bad mood, the sound would chase them. If sound didn't work, we had to kill. An abrupt death would ping. Unsure if the Engrevi still functioning as a Sanctuary, we didn't want to find out the hard way.

It was past first light when we stumbled into the next study warren. Surprised we'd made it. Our trek had been clumsy, our focus was ragged. But we made it and slept through the day. When we upped we busied with eat and crap, checking gear. tossing remarks, trying to build a high, but we were still far from G.Z. so couldn't drift.

We got the alert the Zerk ships in orbit, though we didn't need it; we could see them passing above. We held, afraid in the vastness. If we could see them, they could see us, and not much cover.  

We couldn't waste a moment, moving as fast as able but still too far from the site. We needed the safety of nearness so even if they saw the bomb coming, it wouldn't save them, but the sun was rising, we couldn't chance further.

We 'd been psi-probed to know the terrain But psi-tricks have a failing. They aren't real. They don't catch everything.Like the pit into which I fell, and broke my leg.

I couldn't be left, I couldn't walk; they had to carry me. I slowed them but we were too close to leave a fart much less my body, dead or alive.

They'd have to get me to a kotch and would. Though going back closer, they forwarded. No Man Left Behind.

Finally, they got me in. There was no time. King Zerk could be leaving the next second. I was torn to know I was out of the scene, that I might have FUBARed the mission. But my spirit walked with them when they left.

In my mind I could see them moving, closer, assembling the bomb, my piece added by Vinnie. They were there now, I was sure of it, the last check of trajectory, the last tests, set it and run to me.

I didn't need signal, for when it exploded, even down here, nearly 20 klicks from the site, I'd feel it. I, in this basement, my leg purple and pained, would taste the victory.

The Event

THE EVENT

iSaz uPaychelEngredi PreserveShalimar.

Shari had entered the forest. Ki-ZerShaz ordered all to take space as he pursued. I and his Aides, followed. We rode 'unihovers' which had been by the entrance. It was not difficult but novel.

Seeing Ki-ZerShaz descend, we duplicated. A beast bounded past me. I pulled my blaster, but perceived Ki-Zershaz racing towards it, appreciated he, who also owned weapon, would fight it unarmed. I predicate he did this to prove his prowess to Sharon, who stood in awe, watching.

His strength remarkable, I approach slowly, blaster ready, but hear bones in the beast's neck snap, see it fall upon him.  With alacrity I shove its body from his, viewing where it's claws rent his flesh. His blood pours freely. Concurrent, I hear sound of approaching boots... humans, coming towards us.

Crouched beside Ki-ZerShaz, the human soldiers did not perceive us three. The Aides who serve Ki-ZerShaz, capture the soldiers.  That is when I hear the screech of the bomb racing towards the house where we had been.

Ki-ZerShaz, torn and bloody, shouted for us to close our eyes cover our ears, lay upon our faces. He covered Sharon with his body, I covered his, my Aides protect me.