The Oppressed Page 14

  "Sure." Lucas conceded. "But they're always going to be Hetarek lackies. Not just to me but to everyone I know. I don't know how I can fight Hetarek while I've got the keep an eye on my so-called partners, too."

  "You can leave that part to us." Bryan answered. "We'll be vetting them, and we'll be watching them."

  "We're going to hold you to that, Bryan."

  "You can." He answered firmly. "And so you know, the Ahai are making this whole operation possible. More than that, the Ahai have basically kept humankind alive since the invasion."

  "That may be." Lucas replied. "But don't forget that these aren't Ahai. They're Metic Ahai. Just because they're the same species doesn't mean they're on the same wavelength."

  "That I can understand."

  "Good." Lucas uncrossed his arms and looked back to see how the ammunition loading had gone. "It looks like we're about done here."

  Bryan extended his hand. "I'll see you in a few weeks and we'll get some shooting done."

  "That sounds like a plan. Thanks for everything, Bryan." They shook, and Bryan turned back to his own truck, wondering how such animosity between the parties could be fixed.

  Bryan called over his shoulder. “Hey Lucas.” The other man turned around. “Merry Christmas.”

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  The propaganda worked. In spite of stumbling across and killing Hetarek during their undercover trip, the virus had made its way out and at least some of the Metic Ahai had read it. The contact Jess had made, the timid Metic Ahai working in the old post office, had finally reached out a few days earlier, saying that he knew of one collective willing to meet with Bryan and his team. The collective lived in a compound on the fringe of the Bellevue metropolitan area, where the sprawl met the mountains. Far enough away from the center of Hetarek operations that they didn’t have to go undercover, and close enough that Bryan felt more armor and firepower might be prudent, most of the team rolled out, fully equipped for combat in the captured and retrofitted Komodos.

  The Metic Ahai’s living conditions could not have been more different than the clusters of humans found living under the controlling claws of the Hetarek elsewhere in the region. Well-maintained, multi-family homes replaced the barely standing houses. A wall surrounded the compound, but, unlike the harsh security keeping humans in, this simple wall just kept wildlife out and marked the boundaries of the Metic Ahai home. Most importantly, no Hetarek watched the area around the clock. Loki had seen Hetarek patrols come through twice a day, mid-day and late evening. None of the observed visits lasted more than fifteen minutes, and the relaxed posture of both Hetarek and Metic Ahai was readily discernible from orbit.

  They arranged to meet their contact and his collective early in the morning, starting their drive through the mountains while it was dark and arriving just as the late fall sun appeared above the ridge. Most of the Metic Ahai had left for their duties that day, with only the handful on late shifts or maintaining the collective itself remaining behind. Their arrangement necessarily meant that unvetted Metic Ahai would know they were coming and could report their location. But the operation depended on Metic Ahai support; the necessities outweighed Bryan’s misgivings.

  Bryan triggered the radio. “Serpent Eight-Two, Beast Two-Two is time out this location. Over.”

  “Serpent Eight-Two copies. Out.”

  The Komodos rolled through the open gate, drawing fewer looks than the humans who spilled out of them. No sooner had Bryan placed his boot on the ground than a cluster of Metic Ahai swarmed him, singing questions at them in their own language spattered with a few words in English. He repressed his first instinct which was to push them back and build some personal space. Instead, he smiled, and held his arms open but not far from his weapons, and greeted them in their own language, as much as he could muster. All members of the team ostensibly spoke both Hetarek and Ahise, but Bryan retained only enough to pass the biennial language test. Jess spoke it better than the rest, having immersed herself in Ahai culture for several years. She sang a more detailed greeting to them, opening her arms at her sides in a traditional sign of welcome. She repeated herself several times before receiving the proper response. The Ahai backed away slowly, and two, clothed in heavy yellow cloth vaguely reminiscent of the traditional wear Bryan had seen at ceremonies on the Ahai fleet, stepped forward. They spoke with Jess, but slowly, and he could tell she had trouble speaking back to them.

  Finally she turned to Bryan. “This is K’Stheeth and K’Thlee,” she introduced, and each bowed slightly at its name. “They’re the community leaders here. They’re the ones our contact told us about.”

  Bryan extended his arms outward in greeting. “It is a pleasure to meet you. May I speak to you in English because my Ahise is very poor.”

  They extended arms in return. “Yes,” the one introduced as K’Stheeth said. “We would be glad to speak to you in your language.” He said with his soft, high-pitched, and melodious voice.

  “Their dialect is very different from what we’re used to, anyway.” Jess mentioned.

  “K’Stheeth and K’Thlee, we have brought gifts for you from the Great Ahai Collective.” Bryan said, reaching back into the truck and pulling out a box full of datacards, each telling a detailed story of hope to be rejoined with the Metic Ahai. They included videos and cultural histories that Xander Gretter or whomever back at the fleet had decided would help the Metic Ahai join the cause. They accepted the box graciously, but without excitement. “We also have medics trained to help any of your sick. We brought medicines used by the Great Ahai Collective amongst the fleet. They represent the most up-to-date treatments available. With your permission, they would like to see if there is anyone here that could use their help.”

  The two Metic Ahai exchanged looks. “We are not sure.” They said. “We do not know you, and we know the Hetarek. It would do us less service to have the Hetarek punish all of us to have only a few gain from your help.”

  “We would very much like to contribute to your collective.” Jess said. “We are here for you as much as we are here for our fellow humans.”

  The Metic Ahai shook his head. “That is not true. You contribute to your own more than you contribute to this collective.”

  “True, but we can contribute to the larger collective. How do the Hetarek contribute? By letting you live? By making you do work they do not wish to do themselves? By keeping you away from the Great Ahai Collective?”

  “Without the Hetarek, there would be no collective. We would be dead generations over.”

  “And you would not be able to contribute to any collective. We bring you this opportunity.” Jess countered.

  Bryan understood that every Metic Ahai collective would be different, and that the majority of his experience with that species had been in the free and organized Collective of the Great Fleet. Still, he thought it strange that their hosts remained with them, standing next to the Komodos, rather than inviting them in. He expected the Hetarek hospitality would extend, just as much of their social order had. Glancing around the compound, he felt like he should have seen more Metic Ahai than he did.

  “Is there a way we can contribute to your collective? We would like to show you that we are here for you, too, as Jess has said.”

  The two Metic Ahai looked at each other. “We would have to consider this. The risk of the Hetarek is very great, and outweighs most contributions that could be made.”

  “I understand that, but we would like to contribute in some way, even as a gift. If you were willing to meet with us...”

  O interrupted Bryan. "Loki has six Komodos coming at us."

  "How fast?"

  "Fast. They're moving with a propose." He showed Bryan the small screen with the overhead image. White-hot vehicles barreled towards them, heat signatures in the active weapon turrets.

  Bryan turned back to his host. "The Hetarek are coming. You should get all of your people to cover. We're not going to have time to ge
t out of here. They obviously know we're here."

  "The Hetarek need us.” K’Thlee said confidently. “They will not harm us."

  "They may be angry that you spoke with us at all. We'll protect you as much as we can."

  "We need no protection from the Hetarek by you."

  Bryan checked his rifle and pulled it towards his shoulder, his eyes on the gate. "You'll have it anyway."

  "They're here." Kendrick said over the headset.

  The first two vehicles burst through the entrance to the compound, instantly and indiscriminately opening fire on the team's general location. The Metic Ahai ran across the open area, once a neighborhood sports field. Bryan yelled at them to take cover, but many persisted in their belief that they would not be harmed.

  A Hetarek truck fired its light cannon into the field. Bryan ignored the initial shock, instead calling over the radio.

  "Serpent Eight-Two, Beast Two-Two. TIC TIC TIC."

  He recited his report calmly from behind one of their trucks while the rest of the team opened fire, keeping all but two of the enemy vehicles from entering the compound.

  Movement behind him caught his eye, and reflexively he turned around. Through the smoke and dust kicked up by the firefight, he saw Jedynak sprinting out into the middle of the field. Tough to make out, he saw the crumpled form of the Metic Ahai leader K’Stheeth, and over the ringing in his ears he heard the alien caterwaul as it lay dying. K’Thlee stood next to the body as well, not moving and shouting in its own tongue while rounds continued to fly around them both.

  Jedynak tossed his medical bag down in the open field and placed himself and his limited body armor between the Metic Ahai and the Hetarek. Turning his back on the enemy, he started treating K’Stheeth completely devoid of cover.

  Smythstyne bolted past Bryan, OTIS galloping behind. He tripped and fell a few meters from Jedynak and the Metic Ahai, but scrambled over to the casualties. He took a knee in front of the medic, creating yet another layer of protection between the wounded civilian and the Hetarek. OTIS flopped on its side, using its heavily armored structure to create cover where there was none.

  Bryan picked out the distinctive retort of Kendrick's sniper rifle from an upstairs room behind him. While he was leering over the hood of the truck, trying to assess what was happening, someone clapped him on the shoulder. "Excuse me." O’Hare said. Bryan stepped forward, giving the other man access to the rear door. He rummaged around in the back, ignoring the sounds of rounds striking the armored plate. "Fuck me."

  "Everything okay?"

  "Yeah. I only brought two charges for the AT-Nine."

  “Well, we don’t have many of them to begin with. I’ll ask Thunder for some in the next drop.”

  O’Hare pulled out a heavy green tube a foot in diameter and four long. He hefted it onto his shoulder, leaning around the truck. "Round out." He said, barely loud enough for Bryan to hear him from two feet away. The officer stepped back and ducked to avoid the heat wash. With a deafening rush and blinding flash, energy burst out, striking the closest Hetarek vehicle. It exploded instantly, with a force that sent a wave of debris and shrapnel flying across the field. All firing ceased momentarily, but no one could hear the pause with their ears ringing. The smoke and dust dissipated, revealing a handful of wheels, scraps of metal, and an engine block, scattered amongst the charred pieces of Hetarek.

  "I think you overdid it with the charge." Bryan said.

  "No shit. Note to self, they're not as armored as the look."

  "You can go halfsies on the next one. Get an extra shot out of it." Bryan keyed his radio. "Kendrick what do you see?"

  "They didn't like that. Their backing away from the wall a little bit. The second truck is pulling back. Hey, can you check the back seat to see if there are any more rounds for my rifle?"

  "Did you pack them?"

  "I don't think so."

  "Then they're not there."

  The gunfire resumed. Out in the field, Smythstyne had OTIS back in all fours while Jedynak gently pulled the Metic Ahai onto the litter hanging beneath OTIS's frame. A burst from a Hetarek automatic weapon tore up the ground around them, and suddenly Jedynak was on his back. He was about to call out to them over the radio when the medic picked himself back up and resumed his task.

  O’Hare popped off the last four inches of the AT9, removing the spent charge and tossing it back in the truck. Bryan helped him attach the second charge, turning the switch to half power. He tapped Harry on the back of the helmet.

  The weapon fired again, striking the second vehicle with a more reasonable detonation. The vehicle rocked to its side and caught fire. Hetarek poured out the back as it burned.

  Jedynak had climbed onto OTIS, still trying to save the life of the Metic Ahai elder, the second Metic Ahai still crouching next to him. Smythstyne walked next to OTIS, holding the wounded elder with his left hand and providing covering fire with his right.

  Either the ammunition store or the fuel cell on the Hetarek vehicle detonated, Bryan couldn't tell which started it, but the second explosion followed by a flurry of smaller, irregular pops told him ammo burned.

  Smythstyne and Jedynak took advantage of the distraction and started moving back to the truck. A Hetarek grenade went off close enough to them to knock Smythstyne to the ground while Jedynak struggled to keep himself and his patient on OTIS. Smythstyne retuned fire from his back at the same time Starek let fly with a long burst from his machine gun. Smythstyne stood back up and resumed his position next to OTIS as it lumbered back across the field.

  Bryan couldn't see the entrance to the compound due to the burning wreck, but the pattern of gunfire told him not many Hetarek were making it through, if any were attempting at all.

  "Boss, they're holding off outside the gate." Kendrick said over the radio.

  "I wonder what they're waiting for.” Harry said.

  "Probably afraid of Alan and me."

  "You keeping score, Steve?" Starek asked.

  "I know how many rounds I fired." Kendrick answered.

  "They must be trying to wait us out." Bryan changed topics. “I bet they’ve got friends on the way.”

  OTIS ran by, carrying the wounded and medic. Smystyne kicked open the front door to the apartment building next to their vehicles, disappearing inside. Bryan noted the casualty collection point they set up, and returned his focus to his primary task.

  “What’s Loki got?”

  O fired off a few more rounds and ducked behind the truck. “It looks like the other Komodos are just parked outside the main gate to the west. They don’t see anyone incoming right now.” He reported after checking his screen. “There is band of rain coming in, that should be here in about ninety minutes.”

  The low clouds already overhead made Hetarek air support extremely unlikely in the mean time. That wouldn’t stop them from swarming the gates, however. “Let’s see if we can hold them off until the rain, then sneak out the back.”

  “If there’s a way out the back...”

  “If there isn’t we’ll make one.” He clicked on his transceiver. “Serpent Eight-Two, Beast Two-Two, SITREP. We’ve established a strong-point position within the compound. Hetarek forces appear to be staged just outside. We’re continuing to engage with small arms fire. Break.”

  One of the Hetarek Komodos tried to push back the wreck of the other. O’Hare fired the last half of a charge from his AT9, and the vehicle burst into flames.

  Bryan continued his transmission. “We’re going to keep holding them off until the rain hits, then evac to the east. How copy?”

  “Serpent Eight-Two copies all.”

  “Ever wonder if they bombard us from orbit?” O asked. “We’re here for that long.”

  “They won’t risk wiping out a Metic Ahai collective.” Bryan hoped out loud. He peeked around the truck again, hoping to get some kind of view other than the grainy overhead provided by the satellite. All he saw were bodies and
smoke. “Kendrick, you see anything new out there?”

  “Not really. Whatever they’re doing they’re using their vehicles for cover.”

  “I got nothing either.” Starek added from his vantage point atop another roof.

  “Jess, can you go find us a way out the back?” He asked his radio. He hadn’t seen where she ran, but he figured she either went to help the Metic Ahai or provide cover for the other side of the compound.

  “Sure.”

  A burst of Hetarek fire shot over the wall and far over their heads. Someone from his team returned fire.

  Jedynak left the building, covered in blood, and took position next to Bryan. “He didn’t make it.” He sighed. “I tried but he was just too messed up.”

  Bryan looked him in the eye, seeing the frustration. “You did good getting him out of there.”

  Jedynak shook his head. “For all the good it did.”

  The team leader pointed at the windows looking out onto the courtyard. Surprisingly, a few Metic Ahai faces risked peering out to watch the fight. “People saw it. That can be huge.” He looked at his medic’s legs, where red blood had soaked through his pants. “You okay?”

  It took him a moment to realize Bryan asked about his physical health, not offending him by asking about his psychological condition while doing his job. “Yeah, I’m fine. I just got nicked by some shrapnel.” He changed the subject. “I’m going to take Bridget to some of these buildings and make sure there aren’t any more Metic Ahai hurt.”

  “Good idea, just stay within sprinting distance. If Jess finds us a route we’re out of here as soon as I feel a drop of rain.”

  “Roger. Got it.” Jedynak grabbed the other medic and they ran off toward a nearby building getting pock-marked with stray Hetarek shots.

  “Kendrick, you still paying attention up there?”

  A rifle cracked in response, the distinctive report of Kendrick’s firearm among the laser fire.

  “Please tell me we’re not relying on him.” O muttered.

  “Only until the rain starts.” Bryan started to catch his breath as he settled in to the routine of holding a position under fire. “Or he runs out of ammo.”