Part 26 (1/2)
What about the research notes?
No time.
Combine T'Lan always had contingencies. They'd activated a major one when no more messages came from T'Lan Two aboard Alpha Prime. Alpha Prime.
T'Lan Two A had been activated.
People had often remarked on the striking resemblance between T'Lan senior and T'Lan junior. It was a resemblance easily explained-they were of the same series- and easily seen as they stood together, deep beneath S'Hlu, watching the raid.
”I believe this is an act of desperate men with no other options?” asked T'Lan One.
The young-looking AI nodded. ”Agreed.”
”What bothers me,” said the other, watching the screen that showed L'Wrona's contingent fighting for their lives, ”is that it's a stupid act. Stupid I wouldn't have expected.
Come now, the armory? S'Gan and D'Trelna have-two cruisers, armed to the jump nodules.”
The Combine's Operations Center was large, well-hidden, and only partially preoccupied with the defense of the complex. Most sections and stations were busy directing the activities of fleets of merchant and mining s.h.i.+ps, relaying communications from star system to star system, collecting intelligence, and maintaining constant contact with the home universe.
”Then what?” said T'Lan Two A.
”Intruder alert, lab complex four, section red three,” said a cool, soft voice issuing from all points of the big room.
”Then that,” said T'Lan One, leaning over the console. ”Punch up that section,” he said to the operator.
A new screen flashed on, showing Harrison carrying a device from the cubicle while a blonde hunched over a complink, fingers flying, eyes scanning the text.
”Guan-Sharick,” said T'Lan One. ”That's how they got in-teleported.” He shook his head. ”I didn't believe your predecessor's report. They should be dead-they're organic.”
He turned, issuing orders. ”Activate lab thirteen's security s.h.i.+eld. Withdraw all but a token force from the armory skirmish-it's a ruse. Security's to enter lab thirteen via selective s.h.i.+eld penetration, kill those two intruders and recover the device they're stealing.”
T'Lans One and Two A stood watching the blonde as the orders went out. ”What else survives?” wondered T'Lan One, watching Guan-Sharick.
”Well done, Harrison,” said the blonde, turning from the complink. ”You may have just lost us the war.”
”Why are you speaking?” he asked, hefting the strange device uneasily in his hand.
”Because it doesn't matter now-they've slapped a security s.h.i.+eld on this building. I can't teieport through it. The jig, my friend, is up.”
”What can I do?” he asked.
”See that door?” Guan-Sharick pointed to the gray slab of battlesteel that shut the lab off from the corridor. Harrison nodded.
”Blast the lock shut; that'll hold the slime for a while. I'll be sending what specs I have”-the trans.m.u.te tapped her head-”to Lan-Asal. Maybe, just maybe, they can replicate the device.”
If we're killed, John added to himself, moving toward the door.
”H'Nar.”
D'Trelna's voice came through sharp and clear in L'Wrona's earpiece.
”Yes?” he asked, ducking as a blaster bolt grazed the air duct he was behind, showering him with sparks.
”They've tumbled to it. They're responding a small army to that lab. And they've slapped a security s.h.i.+eld on it. Go save them. They're on level seven.”
”Where's the screen generator?” asked the captain.
D'Trelna touched his complink, watching the briefing scan as it scrolled by. After a moment he froze it and read quickly. ”Subbas.e.m.e.nt seven, northwest quadrant four- unless they've moved it since the last FleetOps update.”
”Have Lan-Asal tell Guan-Sharick to meet us there,” said L'Wrona.
”Acknowledged,” said the commodore.
With three quick bolts, L'Wrona finished the sniper he'd been toying with, rising as the man's body tumbled from a neighboring rooftop.
”To the boats!” shouted L'Wrona, waving his blaster. ”To the boats!”
”Any lifepods launched?” asked D'Trelna, leaning over K'Raoda's shoulder, peering at the tacscan. Red X's marked what had been Deliverance Deliverance and three Combine s.h.i.+ps. and three Combine s.h.i.+ps.
”No, sir,” said K'Raoda.
On the tacscan, twenty-one target blips continued to advance on the green dot marking Implacable. Implacable.
”No obliging mindslavers this time,” said D'Trelna, straightening. ”Get us some room, T'Lei. Move us farther out from the planet-gunnery to open fire as targets come in range.”
He looked at the red X again, then went back to his post.
Lieutenant S'Til dashed across the corridor, blaster bolts snapping around her as she dived into the doorway.
”We're going the wrong way, Captain,” she said, pulling herself into the corner shared with L'Wrona.
”No.” He stepped around the corner, snapped off three bolts, then ducked back, dodging the return fire. ”We're making for that room five doors down-field generator.”
”It'll take all night-they've got at least one company between us and it,” said S'Til.
”One more doorway's all we need, Lieutenant,” said L'Wrona, waving the next squad forward. He and S'Til joined in the covering barrage.
Half the squad reached the next two doorways.
”Let's go,” said L'Wrona. He and S'Til made for the next doorway, continuing the deadly game of leapfrog.
”Troops are in the bas.e.m.e.nt,” said Guan-Sharick. ”Bring the device.''
”Where are we going?” asked John.
The lab door was beginning to glow cherry red, the battlesteel slowly yielding under heavy blaster fire.
”Another hot spot, Harrison,” said Guan-Sharick.
The lab was gone-the Terran found himself crouching in a gray doorway, blasters shrilling all around, the wide bore of an Mil A inches from his face. ”Don't do that again, John,” said L'Wrona, lowering the weapon.