Chapter 113

Chapter One Hundred Thirteen

Without threats, the trek through the woods was almost pleasant. It wasn’t just cooler but quieter, so that their hurried steps seemed loud. Under the bright moonlight, the black verticals of trees didn’t hide imminent threat, the gentle breeze didn’t carry the smell of sulfur or ammonia or rot.

Rather than hold a single position in the formation, Connor circulated among the team, offering encouragement and gauging each person’s condition.

And when necessary, he called for rests, despite Selen’s agitation.

Yes, it slowed their progress, but it was rewarded by a more consistent pace over time and a better rested team.

That was going to mean a lot, he was sure.

When they reached the edge of the woods, he dropped to a knee beside Kalpana. “You ready for this?”

She snorted. “A little late to ask.”

“I know. Are you?”

In answer, she hopped up and strolled downhill, hips swaying.

He followed, giving her enough of a lead that he didn’t compromise her scouting.

They reached the ruins without any sign of movement anywhere.

Connor would’ve felt better sending a few drones through the ruins, but they hadn’t had the time or money to buy new ones on Mara.

It was yet another compromise.

Kalpana set a path that took them directly to the places where they’d been ambushed. At each site, she entered the building, disappearing into the shadows, boots crunching on the stone floors.

No threat made itself known.

She squatted at the edge of ruins, looking down into the steeper grade that led to the edge of the midnight-black pit. “Looks like this is it.”

Connor sucked in a deep breath. “I’ll get the others.”

He sprinted back, keeping one hand on his Asp light machine-gun and the other on a sword hilt.

But nothing challenged him.

They really were alone in the ruins.

About fifty meters short of the part of the ruins where only low wall sections stood, his radio crackled.

Selen’s voice came thorough choppy. “…thing…?”

He darted farther upslope. “It’s clear down to the pit. Do you copy?”

Shadowy forms moved at the edge of the woods. Once again, Selen’s voice came through despite distortion. “…our way…”

Her words didn’t have to be crystal clear, because the message was.

Vicente reached Connor first, gasping for breath. The big man lowered the bars of the wheeled litter. “Can’t wait to say goodbye to these crates, Boss.”

“I think we all feel the same.”

“You and Selen gonna patch things up when this is all done?”

Connor shrugged. “Some things are best left alone.”

“Sure, Boss. It’s just…I kind of like working with you is all.”

“I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather have watching my back.”

“You say the nicest things, Boss.”

Elise and Mosiah reached them next. They both were on the edge of collapse, but there was a look of relief on Mosiah’s face.

He coughed and brushed pollen—white in the moonlight—from his face. “I was operating under the assumption we’d developed an immunity to that pollen.”

Connor smiled. “Best to avoid it, if you can.”

“Your advice comes a little too late, I’m afraid.”

“You remember how to apply the antidote?”

The old man frowned as he rummaged around in a pouch. “It isn’t as if someone could forget.”

Selen pulled up the rear, stopping at Connor’s side to watch Mosiah inject himself. “Nothing?”

“Not yet.” Connor turned away when Mosiah hissed. The auto-injectors were never pleasant. “We still have time to reconsider.”

“I’ve already considered.” She strolled forward, waving for folks to follow.

The Moon twins shook their heads but fell in behind her.

A year ago—maybe even six months ago—Selen wouldn’t have made this sort of mistake. She was alienating and annoying her team. What she’d done to the bonds of loyalty would be months in the rebuilding.

For people like Yemi, Connor wasn’t sure there would be a chance.

He fell in beside Elise. “Almost there. Excited?”

Her cheeks twitched. Maybe in regular light, he could have seen emotions settling for an instant, then shifting. “Is it really safe, do you think?”

“Safe? Not on this planet. But I don’t think anything’s going to stop us.”

“From…?”

“Getting into the pit. Those scorpions seem to have driven off the lizards, and something about that Badger seems to have irritated the scorpions. That means no guardians.”

“Guardians? You think that’s what they are?”

“You said they weren’t indigenous—”

“That wasn’t my theory, but I do find it compelling.”

“Why would someone put things like that here, in these ruins, if not to keep people out?”

She wrapped her arms over her armor—Martienne’s armor. “If we go in, can we still get out?”

“We’ll leave a team behind to cover our escape.”

Elise nodded, but she was folding in on herself, readying for an imagined blow.

They all were.

The downslope to the pit was like an accelerator, pushing them toward the wide, dark lip. Connor leaned back and pumped his arms to slow, then stop.

Whatever was down in the pit wanted them inside, it seemed.

Vicente pointed to a low set of walls about twenty meters upslope and to the left. “Perfect defensive position, Boss.”

Connor stomped on the ground to test how solid it was. “All right.”

The heavy weapons expert dropped the litter and jogged up to the walls, hopping over and searching around before throwing up a thumb in approval.

Kalpana searched the sky, then pecked Connor on the cheek. “Watch your butt.”

She jogged over to join Vicente in the defensive position.

Along with the twins, they would offer an effective defense.

Lem cleared his throat. “Excuse me.”

Connor tilted his head. “What’s up?”

“I wanted to wish you the best.”

“Aren’t you—?”

“The captain feels that I would do best assisting with the defensive position.” The android rarely showed emotion, but his lips were twisted in a slight frown.

Selen waved from the winch, where the Moon twins weren’t bothering to hide their annoyance as they lowered Mosiah’s crates.

Another change, then: leave Lem behind, take the twins down.

That wasn’t doing much to cover their escape. Lem was a competent combatant, but he was nothing compared to the clones.

And now the team heading down would be without a medic.

Connor stared into the pit, where the lights affixed to the crates slowly spun in their descent.

Something was waiting for them down there—hostile and angry.

No one should have ever come here, and now they were entering despite all their opportunities to flee.

A foul breath rolled up from below.

And in the wind, Connor thought he could hear words of warning: “Enter and die.”