"Wait! Let's talk about this!" Yien shouted above the din.
"We have 10 arns until the invasion, I don't think we have the time to talk about it!" Lyna yelled, still walking. She briefly stopped to grab a pulse pistol that had been partially buried under a feet of rubble.
Above them, the din of the destruction and devestation shook their ears. Pieces of debris rained down on them as they sought the exit.
"What about the others?" Yien asked, looking back. She pulled her hair back from her face.
"The others…" Lyna said, her dark eyes focusing on her friend. "The attack was focused in the main mess hall. That's where most of us were at the time, I don't think many of them got out."
"Shouldn't we go back and see if there are any survivors?" Yien asked again, uncertainty ringing in her voice. She caught a piece of the wall as she stumbled over something.
She looked down and gasped.
"No…."
"What are you doing, we have to get out of here!" Lyna shouted, coming back to drag Yien by the arm. She looked down at what Yien was focused on.
"Oh goddess, be with them all." She said, shutting her eyes. A speckle of dust fell from her hair. "Elni." She muttered, staring at the dead body at her feet. Half of Elni was covered in wreckage.
Another explosion shook more fragments loose and Lyna and Yien covered their heads.
"We're already dead, why won't they stop?" Lyna shouted.
"You think they'll hear you?" Yien asked. "They wont stop until they're sure there isn't anyone left."
"The shuttle is this way." Yien yelled, pointing.
***
"Pilot, where are we?" Aeryn asked.
"A planet called Tinus IV." Pilot responded.
"I'm taking the transport down, see if we can get some supplies." John said, watching the large grayish blue sphere in front of him.
Aeryn followed him out if command. She turned back once to look back at the screen.
***
"The Siano station was almost completely destroyed."
Malek paced the small chamber, his hands behind his back, a worried expression on his face.
In front of him, unmoving, Dern stood, holding a report in his hands.
"Casualties?" Malek asked, already knowing the answer.
"98% dead. The last 2% were found in a transport nearby. We have them in sickbay. At least five of them have died since."
"How did the bastards know?" Malek asked. "Search the crew roster. Make sure the dead and the living are accounted for."
"Yes, sir." Dern left.
"Mind if I come in?" A voice said from the door. Malek looked up.
"Yes, yes. Come in." He said. "I'm sorry I haven't had much time lately, Saura."
Saura brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "Not a problem. I talked to some of the crew. Many of them didn't even anticipate this. They said that they were fine before it happened. Most of them didn't even know who had attacked until it was too late to defend themselves."
"If that is true, then there must be some kind of new weapon those bastards are using." Malek said.
"I have engineering working on the schematics. We'll know some results in a few arns." She said. She walked closer, crossing her arms. "I talked to Nerri. He's very concerned. It's the third in so short a time, Malek. He's starting to think that the resistance is in bigger trouble than we thought."
Malek turned around, furious. "It's always in big trouble. You don't think we all know that? It's not going to stop until we find out who is giving out the information, or how they're getting the information."
Saura sighed. "I understand your frustration. That's why I've arranged for a meeting." She said, quieter than before.
"A meeting of what?"
"The resistance cell leaders are traveling to an undisclosed location as we speak. We should be getting on our way also."
Malek sighed, and shook his head. "When did you deem it necessary to inform me?" He asked.
"About now." Saura said, not without some amusement.
Malek glanced at her small smile and he shook his head in wonder.
"Well, I guess we have a meeting to attend then." He said.
"Right. the transport is ready for departure." She said. "We'll be passing Tinus IV though, I should inform."
"Tinus IV? Are you sure there's no way around it?" Malek asked.
Saura shook her head in certainty. "Perfectly sure. I just hope they don't decide to ask where we're going."
"Me either. And pity any soul who goes there."
***
"This has got to be one of the strangest planets I have been to." Aeryn whispered to John. He nodded in agreement and politely declined a reddish pink species of female offer him something that looked like the earth equivelant of a Hawaiian leia. He smiled as they walked through the market.
"The problem with the universe is that no matter where you are, people know what you're saying." He muttered. "So be careful."
"No, wouldn't want to offend the locals." She mumbled, glaring at a slobbering Yenvex. She finally groaned and pushed it off her.
"Now, now, Aeryn. Not all of them are that-" He passed by a woman dressed in a simply put, invisible dress. "-inhospitable."
"Let's just get some supplies and leave." Aeryn said. Her eye caught a shiny object peaking out from a small tent in the corner of the market. "Hold on."
"What?" John watched as she gravitated toward something.
He went up to her and she looked around before ducking into the tent.
"What's going-" He gave a small cry as Aeryn pulled him into the tent.
"Shh! Be quiet or you'll get us frelling killed." She whispered. She pointed down.
"Whoa." John said, his blue eyes seeing a group of weaponry.
"Very big." He said.
"And very dangerous." Aeryn said. She looked at her pulse pistol and at the small bit of money they had acquired a few solar days ago.
"I could probably get one of these Rezek chargers." She said, her hand stroking the side of the gun in admiration.
"I assume they do a lot of damage." John said, looking at his reflection in the metal.
"No, actually they plant flowers." Aeryn said and looked at John. "of course they do a lot of damage."
"Never underestimate the sarcastic power of Aeryn Sun." John quipped. "So where's the trader on weapons detail?" He asked.
"I have no idea." She said. "I don't see anyone. This tent is very well shielded from the rest of the merchandise. Maybe there's a signal or something. I don't see a message. And frankly, I'm tempted to walk off with one of these without paying at all."
"Uh, Aeryn."
"Do you see anyone? I don't." She muttered.
"Aeryn." John said.
"I don't suppose we could carry a whole lot. Do you see a bag anywhere? We could sneak these off."
"Aeryn!"
With a sudden sweep of fury, Aeryn swung around.
"What?!?!" She asked.
"I think I found our salesman." John said, pointing.
The Ne'or trader was slumped against the table, his hands holding a wad of money.
"Well…." Aeryn said. "Guess he was here after all."
***
"We're almost there." Saura said. "We just have to pass this frelling planet."
"I hate this place." Nerri said. "And to think, it looks so harmless from here."
"There's a few ships in orbit. Some Rezek ships, no doubt here to trade weapons. A Pleatien cruiser…..well, this is new. A Leviathan."
Malek was about to doze off but the last word jolted him awake.
"Leviathan?" He asked. "Are you sure."
"Positive. Frell, look at the size of that thing."
"Yes." Malek said, his face grim. "Amazing."
***
"We have 10 arns until the invasion, I don't think we have the time to talk about it!" Lyna yelled, still walking. She briefly stopped to grab a pulse pistol that had been partially buried under a feet of rubble.
Above them, the din of the destruction and devestation shook their ears. Pieces of debris rained down on them as they sought the exit.
"What about the others?" Yien asked, looking back. She pulled her hair back from her face.
"The others…" Lyna said, her dark eyes focusing on her friend. "The attack was focused in the main mess hall. That's where most of us were at the time, I don't think many of them got out."
"Shouldn't we go back and see if there are any survivors?" Yien asked again, uncertainty ringing in her voice. She caught a piece of the wall as she stumbled over something.
She looked down and gasped.
"No…."
"What are you doing, we have to get out of here!" Lyna shouted, coming back to drag Yien by the arm. She looked down at what Yien was focused on.
"Oh goddess, be with them all." She said, shutting her eyes. A speckle of dust fell from her hair. "Elni." She muttered, staring at the dead body at her feet. Half of Elni was covered in wreckage.
Another explosion shook more fragments loose and Lyna and Yien covered their heads.
"We're already dead, why won't they stop?" Lyna shouted.
"You think they'll hear you?" Yien asked. "They wont stop until they're sure there isn't anyone left."
"The shuttle is this way." Yien yelled, pointing.
***
"Pilot, where are we?" Aeryn asked.
"A planet called Tinus IV." Pilot responded.
"I'm taking the transport down, see if we can get some supplies." John said, watching the large grayish blue sphere in front of him.
Aeryn followed him out if command. She turned back once to look back at the screen.
***
"The Siano station was almost completely destroyed."
Malek paced the small chamber, his hands behind his back, a worried expression on his face.
In front of him, unmoving, Dern stood, holding a report in his hands.
"Casualties?" Malek asked, already knowing the answer.
"98% dead. The last 2% were found in a transport nearby. We have them in sickbay. At least five of them have died since."
"How did the bastards know?" Malek asked. "Search the crew roster. Make sure the dead and the living are accounted for."
"Yes, sir." Dern left.
"Mind if I come in?" A voice said from the door. Malek looked up.
"Yes, yes. Come in." He said. "I'm sorry I haven't had much time lately, Saura."
Saura brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "Not a problem. I talked to some of the crew. Many of them didn't even anticipate this. They said that they were fine before it happened. Most of them didn't even know who had attacked until it was too late to defend themselves."
"If that is true, then there must be some kind of new weapon those bastards are using." Malek said.
"I have engineering working on the schematics. We'll know some results in a few arns." She said. She walked closer, crossing her arms. "I talked to Nerri. He's very concerned. It's the third in so short a time, Malek. He's starting to think that the resistance is in bigger trouble than we thought."
Malek turned around, furious. "It's always in big trouble. You don't think we all know that? It's not going to stop until we find out who is giving out the information, or how they're getting the information."
Saura sighed. "I understand your frustration. That's why I've arranged for a meeting." She said, quieter than before.
"A meeting of what?"
"The resistance cell leaders are traveling to an undisclosed location as we speak. We should be getting on our way also."
Malek sighed, and shook his head. "When did you deem it necessary to inform me?" He asked.
"About now." Saura said, not without some amusement.
Malek glanced at her small smile and he shook his head in wonder.
"Well, I guess we have a meeting to attend then." He said.
"Right. the transport is ready for departure." She said. "We'll be passing Tinus IV though, I should inform."
"Tinus IV? Are you sure there's no way around it?" Malek asked.
Saura shook her head in certainty. "Perfectly sure. I just hope they don't decide to ask where we're going."
"Me either. And pity any soul who goes there."
***
"This has got to be one of the strangest planets I have been to." Aeryn whispered to John. He nodded in agreement and politely declined a reddish pink species of female offer him something that looked like the earth equivelant of a Hawaiian leia. He smiled as they walked through the market.
"The problem with the universe is that no matter where you are, people know what you're saying." He muttered. "So be careful."
"No, wouldn't want to offend the locals." She mumbled, glaring at a slobbering Yenvex. She finally groaned and pushed it off her.
"Now, now, Aeryn. Not all of them are that-" He passed by a woman dressed in a simply put, invisible dress. "-inhospitable."
"Let's just get some supplies and leave." Aeryn said. Her eye caught a shiny object peaking out from a small tent in the corner of the market. "Hold on."
"What?" John watched as she gravitated toward something.
He went up to her and she looked around before ducking into the tent.
"What's going-" He gave a small cry as Aeryn pulled him into the tent.
"Shh! Be quiet or you'll get us frelling killed." She whispered. She pointed down.
"Whoa." John said, his blue eyes seeing a group of weaponry.
"Very big." He said.
"And very dangerous." Aeryn said. She looked at her pulse pistol and at the small bit of money they had acquired a few solar days ago.
"I could probably get one of these Rezek chargers." She said, her hand stroking the side of the gun in admiration.
"I assume they do a lot of damage." John said, looking at his reflection in the metal.
"No, actually they plant flowers." Aeryn said and looked at John. "of course they do a lot of damage."
"Never underestimate the sarcastic power of Aeryn Sun." John quipped. "So where's the trader on weapons detail?" He asked.
"I have no idea." She said. "I don't see anyone. This tent is very well shielded from the rest of the merchandise. Maybe there's a signal or something. I don't see a message. And frankly, I'm tempted to walk off with one of these without paying at all."
"Uh, Aeryn."
"Do you see anyone? I don't." She muttered.
"Aeryn." John said.
"I don't suppose we could carry a whole lot. Do you see a bag anywhere? We could sneak these off."
"Aeryn!"
With a sudden sweep of fury, Aeryn swung around.
"What?!?!" She asked.
"I think I found our salesman." John said, pointing.
The Ne'or trader was slumped against the table, his hands holding a wad of money.
"Well…." Aeryn said. "Guess he was here after all."
***
"We're almost there." Saura said. "We just have to pass this frelling planet."
"I hate this place." Nerri said. "And to think, it looks so harmless from here."
"There's a few ships in orbit. Some Rezek ships, no doubt here to trade weapons. A Pleatien cruiser…..well, this is new. A Leviathan."
Malek was about to doze off but the last word jolted him awake.
"Leviathan?" He asked. "Are you sure."
"Positive. Frell, look at the size of that thing."
"Yes." Malek said, his face grim. "Amazing."
***