The Lost Aria (Earth Song Book 3) Read online

  “You will sacrifice yourselves to defeat us?”

  “I will sacrifice myself, and all my soldiers, to save the Tog, and even the Beezer.”

  Veka snarled and spat on the floor, then spoke. “All forces retreat immediately. The crazed humans are bringing the Portal Spire down.”

  Minu nodded and clicked her radio transmitter twice. The fourth blast never came. “You are still my prisoner even if you will not surrender your forces.”

  “Yes, what do you want of me? We can buy your entire pathetic world, wherever it is.”

  “Release any prisoners you hold, and leave here as fast as you can.”

  “Is that it?”

  “Yes.” All around them warriors were beginning a mass exodus through the closest Portal.

  “Some of the prisoners are of great value to the Tanam, to the Concordia Council itself. We do not-”

  “It does not concern me in the least. Those are my terms.” Minu held her ground; gun never wavering a millimeter from the highborn’s head. All she needed to do was press the transmitter two more times. “Your bargaining position is tenuous at best,” Minu said, showing her teeth. Veka was a cat, right? She knew cats showed their teeth as a threat, and hoped this held true in this case. “One or two more and the building will come down.”

  “Very well, we have an accord! Cease your devastating attack!”

  “Very well.” Minu activated the radio. “Gregg, stand down the Achilles and have all soldiers cease fire!”

  “We're clear, Minu,” Gregg's voice announced. Was it her imagination or was there a slightly hysterical edge to it? “They've stopped firing from inside the Spire; do you want us to mount an assault?”

  “No, stand down and monitor the situation.” Veka showed a small amount of teeth and Minu quickly spoke. “If you do not hear from me in five minutes, destroy the building.”

  “How dare you question the honor of a highborn Tanam!” Veka roared.

  “I trust you as much as I trust any species of the Concordia,” Minu countered and bowed respectfully, even though the barrel of the shock rifle still never left its target. “Five minutes remain for your evacuation.”

  “You did not specify that in our agreement.”

  “You didn't request a specific time interval.”

  Veka looked around at all the equipment staged and actually laughed. “You humans are growing up quickly.”

  “You would be surprised at just what we're capable of.”

  “And you have no idea what we are capable of. You have a real enemy now, human, not just the scurrying bug eating Rasa.”

  “Oh, are they behind this?”

  “Perhaps.” Minu nodded her head and asked no more. She knew there was no chance of getting more information at this point. Besides, she had a friend that knew a lot more about the Rasa than any Tanam ever would. “Four minutes, highborn.”

  The last of the Tanam warriors and their larger equipment were being shoved through any Portal that was still accessible. Minu's Achilles, transports laden with as much high explosives as they could carry, had done an incredible amount of damage to the Spire, and forced the enemy commander to retreat or risk losing everything. Veka stood impatiently with a pair of guards as the last of the heavy equipment that she could get out was moved through a Portal. In this case, the heavy energy cannons. Minu would have loved to add those to the others captured on Amber. She glanced around at the vast amount of equipment Veka was abandoning and suppressed a smile.

  “Your time is up,” Minu told the highborn Tanam, “where are my hostages?”

  One of the closest Portals deactivated and immediately flashed to life again. Through the shimmering field was visible an advanced Concordia designed facility where a group of humans huddled under guard. Eleven men, all nearly naked and most injured, stood dejected and awaiting an unknown fate. Behind them was a crowd of Beezer in similar conditions. “You will honor your deal and free me in exchange?”

  “I will. Bring them through.”

  On the mysterious distant world a pair of armed and armored Tanam warriors watched the unexpected scene on Serengeti. Minu examined the group and quickly spotted both Christian and Aaron's tall frames. One she was exhilarated to see, the other not so much. At a signal from Veka they were moved forward by the guards and stepped across space to arrive back where they'd started. “Hey boss,” Aaron said. He couldn't wave, both arms were immobilized at his sides by bloody bandages. Several of the scouts were helping their brethren, and in more than one case outright carrying them. The Beezer followed next, and behind them...

  Minu tried not to gasp in shock as the trio of Squeen came into view. There was no mistaking their looks, bipedal squirrels, no more than a meter tall, with long dexterous fingers, big bright black on black eyes, and even a bushy though rather short tail. “We are reluctant to give up these scurrying vermin,” Veka snarled.

  “What is your quarrel with them?”

  “They are Gracktaag!” she spat.

  Minu glanced down at her translator in confusion. It was rare to come across a word with no English analog. When it did the device usually still found something, even if it wasn't a good match. “I'm sorry, what is that?”

  Veka turned a pair of eyes on one side towards her; the larger third eye in the row was wide angle and could not be consciously controlled. “Nothing, I had forgotten you are not Awoken.”

  Minu was about to inquire further when the first of the three Squeen arrived before her. He or she looked up at Minu, its head cocking from side to side to give both eyes a good look. The being wore no clothing, only the remnants of a torn equipment belt. No doubt the Tanam had relieved them of whatever else they'd had when captured. “I do not know your species,” it said in a very low clicking language that her translator instantly recognized.

  “We are humans, in service to the Tog.”

  “Ah, then I know of you, though we were not told you were a hominid species.” Minu could have sworn the Squeen was trying to put the pieces of a puzzle together as it examined her and her companions. “I am Quick Finder, and these are my companions.” The translator added a single beep after the name and now she knew Quick Finder was a male. “Are we now your prisoners?”

  “No, you are free to leave.”

  “Interesting,” he said and used a hand to smooth down the fur on his head.

  “Your release was an accidental side effect of our victory against the Tanam.”

  Veka grumbled low in her throat and Quick Finder glanced from her to Minu and back again. “Very interesting,” he said and glanced at his two companions. After a quick glance at the unconscious form of Seela he looked right at Veka again. “Bested by a young species of hominids?” The growl turned to a threatening snarl. “This is a story that has never been told before. I will enjoy telling it over dinner!” Christian and his surviving scouts were clear of the Portals, gathered nearby as newly arrived medics rushed over to see to them.

  “We have met our side of the accord,” Veka said with a tiny bow of her head, though her eyes never left the group of Squeen. Minu burned with curiosity to know what was going on.

  Minu turned to her radio and directly linked with Christian. “Are there any unaccounted for Scouts?”

  “No,” was his monosyllable reply.

  She nodded and turned back to Veka. “The deal is complete, you are released.”

  “Oh that wasn't smart,” Quick Finder said and along with his friends took off at a run.

  “Huh?”

  “Very well,” the highborn said and lowered her head. She growled something at the two remaining warriors then spoke to Minu directly. “I challenge you personally!” and fast as a bolt of lightning jumped at Minu.

  Some small part of her must have been expecting it because she fell back at the last second and raised her shock rifle. Before she could fire Veka's serrated claws hit the outstretched shock rifle front and shattered the fore grip, along with all the important electronics located there.
She wasn't hit directly by the claws, but just impact from the strike was enough to turn her backwards dodge into a wild spin sideways. Veka’s follow up blow, an upper cut that would have disemboweled her, swept through empty air.

  “Minu!” Gregg cried and along with the seven soldiers who'd been guarding her raised his shock rifle.

  “Do not interfere!” Minu screamed at them. Either through luck or training, no one fired. “This is a personal challenge.” The Squeen were taking cover behind the injured Chosen and medics, watching the events unfold with their big dark eyes.

  “She was your prisoner,” Aaron complained, his voice full of confusion and obvious fear for her. Even with both arms crippled, he looked ready to take on the Tanam with his teeth.

  “I set her free, then she challenged. It is legal under Concordia law.”

  “You are not as primitive as I would have believed.”

  Minu looked down at the shattered weapon and tossed it aside; being sure it went towards her troops and not the other Tanam. Veka circled her a few meters away, down low on all six limbs, appraising her just as she'd seen house cats on Bellatrix do before pouncing on a howler. Minu saw what looked like hesitation or uncertainty. Was she hoping to be shot after the challenge? It would have been a horrible breach of Concordia law and may have allowed the Tanam to declare war directly against the humans. To sacrifice your life for such a goal was an amazing display of selflessness. This was one crazy pissed off cat.

  “Come human, let us dance.”

  “Do not interfere,” Minu warned her men, “no matter what happens. That is a direct order.”

  “Minu,” Aaron almost whispered.

  “Yes?”

  “Kill the fucking cat.”

  Minu reached down to her ever present ankle holster and drew her knife. Twenty five centimeters of gleaming stainless steel, curved on one side, false edge on the other and serrated teeth against the back side near the handle. She'd carried it since the trials as a remembrance of the cost of leadership. It had only taken one life, and that was during those very same trials.

  “You mean to fight me with that,” Veka asked, a huffing laugh in her voice. She held out a paw, five ten centimeter long claws slid out like daggers, making her lone blade look almost pathetic by comparison. “You will wish you had more knives, little human.”

  “Are you planning to talk me to death?” Veka hissed and pounced.

  Minu passed the knife from her right hand to her left. She was better with the blade in her right, but she needed that hand free. Veka came in high, the front part of her body raised so all four sets of claws could rake at her, trying to scoop Minu into a meat grinder of a hug. Minu dropped and rolled, flashing out almost blindly with the blade and feeling it bite flesh. She rolled to her feet and saw the satisfying flash of bright red blood on the weapon. One of Veka's middle legs dripped blood to the debris cluttered floor.

  “You can scratch me all day human, I only need to strike once.”

  “You'd have to actually touch me first.” Again Veka charged and again Minu's blade tasted flesh. A third try and she only scratched armor, and on the fourth she almost died. Veka's all out lunging attack changed with catlike grace into a feint and in an instant those massive jaws were reached for her. Minu tried to turn away, putting out a hand to push against the neck of the Tanam for just a little help moving. The jaws snapped closed on her hand.

  “Your game is over,” Veka said around her forearm.

  “Big mistake,” Minu said through teeth bared against the pain. Then she overrode the pain signals. As a doctor told her years ago, it’s not real pain, just mechanical feedback. She moved her hand within the Tanam highborn's mouth, searching, then grabbing. Veka's look of victory turned to surprise. She bit down as hard as she could, splintering a tooth on the arms dualloy superstructure. Minu squeezed, overriding the arms natural safeties and exerting twenty times more force than any human could hope to muster.

  Blood sprayed as the organ was pulverized. Veka screamed and tried to shake her off. Minu refused to let go. The pain was so intense the Tanam never thought to use her formidable claws. With Minu dangling from her mouth it would have been a simple matter to render the human into fish bait. All she could think of was to get the agony from her mouth. She shook from side to side, howls of agony reverberating from the Spire's walls.

  Finally she slammed Minu down on the floor. Minu shook the stars from her head, set her feet against the underside of the Tanam's jaw, and pulled with all her being. Veka shook at the same time, and finally the human’s hand was out of her mouth, and so was most of the tongue. A gout of blood splashed Minu, the bright red stuff spurting from the Tanam's mouth like a grotesque fountain. Minu jumped up, dropped the severed organ and switched the knife back to her right hand. She swung with all her cybernetic might at the spot between Veka's eye sets.

  The never closing rear eyes did their job and the still functioning part of Veka's animal brain sensed the attack. Veka rolled her head to one side and Minu's blade slammed into her rearmost left eye instead of where Minu had aimed. The pain took the highborn beyond all reason. She rolled backwards, away from the attack, landing with a thud on her back. Minu jumped up, the knife held in both hands and driving towards her enemies exposed belly for the coup de grâce. Veka screeched and swung wildly with a midarm. The impact was more of a punch than a slashing cut. Hundreds of kilos of force slammed into her legs, sending Minu spinning wildly across the ceramic concrete floor. She crashed down almost five meters away, landing on her left arm and feeling bones snap.

  Fighting against the pain, Minu rolled over and looked, ready for whatever happened next. She needn't have worried; Veka was racing on all six legs towards the nearest Portal. One of her guards had already activated it and once she was through, they followed. The retreat was so fast Minu didn't have time to get a good look at the destination before the Portal closed.

  A thousand voices rose in cheers around Minu, many crying out her name and pounding the ground with feet or weapons. A few of the more excited fired their guns in the air, but squad leaders quickly put a stop to that. They didn't want to bring down the critically damaged Portal Spire around their ears. Gregg and Aaron weren't cheering; they were racing to her side. And despite his injuries, Aaron was the first there. “Medic!” he yelled.

  As he came running up she was examining her cybernetic arm. A few optronic connectors were protruding from the shredded skin and her pinky finger was twitching uncontrollably. “I'm fine,” she growled, “I need a mechanic though.” She sat up and checked her left arm, wincing from the pain. Radius or ulna was broken, maybe the elbow, add some torn ligaments. At least she wouldn't have matching arms!

  “Minu, don't move!” Aaron gasped as he knelt next to her, fear written on his face like a book.

  “Gregg,” Minu said to her second in command as he ran up, shock registering on his face too. “Stand down and safe that last Achilles.”

  “Done, boss,” he said, swallowing.

  The medics came over and they looked worried too. Now Minu was getting mad. She tried to get up and her legs wouldn't respond. It was then she looked down and saw both legs were practically filleted. The floor under her was awash in blood and she could see the sickening white of bone through both thighs. “I guess she used her claws after all.” And then she passed out.

  Chapter 16

  Octember 24th, 521 AE

  Portal Spire, Capital City, Serengeti, Beezer Leasehold

  As Minu came around the medtechs were swirling around her attaching machines and shouting orders to each other. She did her best to beat them away and speak to her commanders. She hadn't wanted to go over the details until the Tanam were gone for fear of them overhearing; now she was insane with the need to know. Finally she'd had enough.

  “If I don't see Gregg over here in the next minute, I'm going to twist the head off the first son of a bitch I can reach! And get me on my feet, damn it.”

  “Chosen, that would
be unwise,” a young medtech explained and Minu made a wide sweeping grab for his closest leg. The man squeaked indignantly and jumped clear. She was sitting on a gurney resting almost on the floor, her back elevated to forty-five degrees and both legs wrapped in complicated trauma pads. Inside micro-miniature robots were working to stabilize the massive wounds, but they were beyond the ability to fix in the field. Perhaps even in the Chosen hospital. Two burly soldiers roughly shoved the man out of the way and hoisted their fallen leader onto her feet between them. A few meters away was the sizable puddle of blood from her mangled legs. Despite the pads, blood began to dribble over her feet.

  “Damn it boss,” Gregg swore as he came through the wall of medtechs, “are you stupid or stubborn?”

  “I'm unable to make a clear determination on either opinion at the time,” she moaned but refused to be set down. “Humans are at a real disadvantage against all these killer beasties in the galaxy.” She looked down at the dagger back in her belt and sighed. “We need something better. Anyway, give me the numbers. I want the butcher’s bill.”

  “That can come later.” She looked at Gregg hard and long, the resolve obvious even to him. “Okay, we lost about two hundred, maybe half that injured.”

  Minu set her jaw and nodded. So many young people, gone forever. All the months of training, their lives up till then, spent and gone. “Any unaccounted for?”

  “Not that we think, no. Christian reports that everyone who went through alive came back with him.”

  “What about their weapons?” Gregg looked confused. “Shock Rifles, damn it, what about their Shock Rifles.”

  “I didn't ask about that.”

  “You need to, I want every one of those weapons accounted for and to know how many weapons the cats took, and what shape they were in.” Gregg nodded his head that he would find out.

  “We did it boss,” Gregg half grinned, “really kicked their asses.”

  Minu whistled. It was her biggest gamble, that she wouldn't have to actually bring down the Spire, and that the four of six she'd managed to get loaded would be enough to do the job if necessary. Luckily for all concerned, she was right on both accounts. Her unauthorized appropriation of the transports and the explosives she'd stuffed into them would be a minor infraction next to what she'd done to this Portal Spire.