Chapter 4 – The Depths of Rrajagar

The three prisoners continued down the corridor and came into a small under passage which was guarded by a Brute. Quickly, they brought it down, but the amount of fire it gave out from its rocket launchers, there was no chance they were now unnoticed. Shaking their heads, still with disappointment that they'd not reached the surface yet, the turned to their right and mounted a lift, travelling up to the bit above. Once again, they heard the sound of magma and Riker went over to the edge of the walkway by a crane lift and looked down over the edge. To his dismay, the bottom was steaming with lava.

"More damn lava," he groaned.

"Then we'd better exercise caution," Malik replied.

"I guess that control accesses the lift."

He pointed at a red button on the far wall. Kargoth and Malik stepped into the lift, collecting some more Stinger ammunition. Riker jogged over to the wall, pressed the button and dashed back, vaulting over the lift and landing in between Kargoth and Malik just before the lift took off. It carried them far over across the lava and passed a gap in the wall which housed a Brute. They jumped off the lift at the other side and Malik killed the Brute with continuous fire from his Stinger.

A Nali in the vicinity backed off away from them, its arms raised above its head in protest against the firing. As soon as the Brute was dead and Malik lowered his Stinger, the four armed alien quietened down and hovered into the air cross legged much like the other one had done. Riker wondered over to it, standing right it front of it, but it didn't so much as twitch a muscle.

"How the hell do they do that?" Riker asked.

"The next time we meet one, I'll ask it," Kargoth replied sarcastically.

"Hey! It's the Americans that don't understand sarcasm, Kargoth."

"Sorry mate."

She walked passed him, Malik following her and too glancing at the Nali.

"Talk about defying gravity!" he noted.

He shook his head and followed the other two down towards the far end of the walkway and passed a pile of crates. A Skaarj leapt down from the top to great them, but it miss judged its jump and tripped on the floor, falling down into the lava pit below. Kargoth laughed, having to lean back against the metal crates for support. Riker looked down to watch the Skaarj burn, but it aimed one last futile shot which went searing passed his ear, singing a few strands of his hair.

He leapt back in shock, falling into a small crate which moved slightly and deposited a strange looking item into his lap. He picked it up and examined it. It was a thin metal strip which contained a strange blue energy substance and it steamed slightly at the top. He slipped it into his pocket just in case.

"What do you recon that's for?" Malik asked.

"No idea," Riker replied. "We may find out in the future."

"A non-human made weapon eh?"

Kargoth grinned. "Something new to try!"

She indicated for Malik and Riker to step into the second lift, jogging over to the button and pushing it before jogging back into the lift alongside her comrades. First, the lift raised itself up and then carried them over to a higher location where they were met by another Brute. They opened fire and jumped out of the lift, startling the big creature and bringing it down before it could even fire back.

"I love that element of surprise," Kargoth laughed.

"Pity it doesn't work every time," Malik replied.

At a run, they made their way into a narrow mine shaft that was flooded with grey fog and they could hardly see. Kargoth had to wrestle with a Tentacle as it appeared right in front of her, trying to jab her with the sting on its tail. She fired at it heavily with her automag, bringing the strange creature down at her feet. The three of them stepped over its carcass and turned away from the main corridor into another room.

So far, so good; there was nothing there to meet them. They jogged around the corner and came face to face with a Brute. This one however was much bigger than the regular Brutes they'd encountered and much slower moving. It opened fire, the three of them having to dash out of the way before they were hit by its rockets.

"Any suggestions?" Malik suggested.

"Blast the living hell out of it," Kargoth replied, quickly.

"With what exactly? Its skin looks impenetrable!"

"I might be of more help here for once," Riker cut in. "During my days, I learned to attack with strategy with having a crap aim. I saw some of those explosive barrel things around the corner. I suggest we roll them towards that big… err… Behemoth thing out there and blow it to bits!"

"I like it!" Kargoth agreed.

"Alright then. On the count of three."

They got ready to get to their feet, crouched on the floor still out of site from the Behemoth. As soon as Mail finished his count to three, they jumped out and pushed the barrels over quickly, rolling them towards the Behemoth. It gave out a startled grunt, backing off the heavy barrels as they rolled towards it. Kargoth took aim with her automag and shot one of the barrels, all of them detonating in a chain reaction and blowing the Behemoth up with it. Riker cheered.

"I'm proud of that!" he exclaimed.

"You should be mate," Malik replied, clapping him on the shoulder.

"You see, it's not all about having a good aim."

"I have to admit, I'd never have thought of that," Kargoth replied, grinning.

"Come on; I'm sick to death of these mines!" Malik cut in.

They carried on through the door and arrived in another place, a bridge at one end and a small out cut opposite. They decided to investigate the small out cut of wall just to make sure there was nothing there waiting to lower the bridge and burn them all. There was a Skaarj standing at the control panel, fiddling with some of the controls.

"This one's mine," Kargoth mouthed, silently.

She took out her automag and took aim at the explosive barrel to its right as quietly as she could. With one shot, the barrel exploded and took the Skaarj with it, scattering its body parts around. Malik headed over to the control panel and took out his universal translator, smiling as it beeped him a message. It had been a while since he last read a message of its tiny screen.

"Anything important?" Kargoth asked as she reloaded her automag.

"Just a warning to exercise caution with the Tarydium Barrels," Malik replied.

"Well, that's too late for our friend. He should have read his screen!"

Malik came back, and he and Riker and to wait for Kargoth to finish reloading her automag before crossing the bridge to the other side. They walked down yet another windy passageway before ending up in a high roofed warehouse stacked up with crates. Riker reached up on top of one and took off another one of those strange looking metal rods of ammunition. He was becoming more curious to find out what weapon these were supplied for. He guessed that it would be a Skaarj made weapon.

They walked on through the warehouse to the far end, keeping an eye out for any unwanted visitors. They walked under a bridge and saw a door that must lead out of the mines. Riker bent down and felt a slight draft coming from below it which was cold. He stood back up again to face the others.

"That's it!" he exclaimed. "Out way out; or an air conditioning shaft."

"I'm certain that's not a shaft!" Kargoth replied with the same enthusiasm.

Malik looked up to the top of the bridge they'd just passed under, watching a Skaarj fiddling with the controls or guarding them. He took out the translator and indicated to the sign above the control point.

"Our door controls are up there," he explained.

"Who wants to ask it to open the doors for us?" Riker asked.

"I think we might need to do this Kargoth's way."

She smirked. "Thank you."

They travelled back under the bridge and up a ramp to a doorway and along another corridor. Around the corner, they came across another room which contained two large pumps down a staircase. Malik stepped forward with his universal translator and indicated it towards the notice on the wall.

"Power override point," he commented. "This should turn off the security lock out and allow us to open that door."

Riker went down the stairs, going round to the back of the two pumps and collecting some more Stinger ammunition he'd spotted. He threw them up to Malik who refilled his belt whilst watching his comrade turn the wheels around on the pumps. Once the second one was released, steam began venting from the backs of them and sank to the floor, obscuring Riker's view of his feet.

"You get that Skaarj, I'll go and meet you at the door," he noted.

Malik nodded and he and Kargoth left Riker alone to climb the stairs and make his way to the door. Kargoth took out her dispersion pistol and readied it for fire as soon as they turned the corner. The Skaarj spun round to face them, lunging at them with its blades pointing forwards. Riker watched from below as Kargoth killed it with one powered blast from her dispersion pistol, its head flying off and almost hitting him. He jumped out of its way and made his way over to the door.

Kargoth activated the door controls, hearing the scraping sound of metal on metal as the door opened. Malik jumped down from the bridge and landed hard on the ground, rolling over and lying on his back, trying to refocus his gaze on the ceiling. Smirking, Kargoth lowered herself down from the walkway and landed safely on the ground, moving over to help Malik to his feet.

"You'll never get that right," she laughed.

"How long are you going to remind of that?" Malik asked.

She shrugged. "Until you get it right."

"If you get it right," Riker cut in from by the door.

"You're no better!"

Kargoth lowered her hand to Malik, which he took and allowed her to pull him back up to his feet, perhaps a little harsher than necessary. They headed over to the open doorway and exited the warehouse into another corridor which had a few crates scattered at one end. They walked around the far corner and were faced with a door, a distinct cold breeze coming from it. Kargoth smiled.

"Fresh air!" she proclaimed.

"I'm not sorry to leave Rrajagar behind," Malik stated.

"I think even Ash would have agreed with that one!"

"Ah Ash," Riker added. "I'll never have to put up with him again!"

"And I'll have to agree with that one!"

Laughing contentedly among themselves at the thought of never seeing Ash again, or the Vortex Rikers, they made their way towards the door and pushed it open, leaving Rrajagar behind them forever.