Shadow of the Empire: Day 30

[aesmael]

Originally published at a denizen's entertainment. You can comment here or there.

Finally, finally done. Half past seven the morning of December 1st. 3,048 words since I woke, 22,183 total in this first draft of the story. So that's well more than 10% I wrote on the last day, seems to be a habit of mine finishing that way.

I managed two of my major goals for the month. Didn't make 50,000 words. Did finish the story. Did do more than double the words I'd written of fiction all year. And now I am very tired and I want to sleep. Somehow got to get back on regular time. So here's the story. I actually liked some of the stuff I wrote in this stretch, maybe that means it is awful. We'll see next time. Goodnight.

The pot came to a boil much sooner than Algol expected, and with far less warning. They were only a few days past yet another meeting, and Algol and Altair were down in the depths taking in a play Ferideh had recommended. Algol's eyes widened as she updated herself on the situation and when she stood she grabbed her sister's hand to pull her up too.

"We have to do something. They're here, they're right here."

They were surrounded by throngs of other spectators, performers too, all in their own rush to their assigned dutires, and no chance to get out for some moments.

"Algonthen ships decelerating right over us. Don't know how they managed it. We'll have to get up quick to be any help with the evacuation. Or for any chance at getting out."

Altair's voice was dreamy. "Potboiler's up there. I felt something from them when we were escaping, resisting my work. Might have veiled the fleet." She frowned. "Very difficult. We need to go."

* * *

Nawar was still working in engineering when the alert came through, working on a very incomplete suite of components spread across the table in front of her, which had no shape as yet but the beginnings of a furious complexity.

"WARNING. INCOMING ENEMY VESSELS. BRACE FOR COMBAT."

"Ow. You know I'm the only one here."

"Protocol, dear."

"Do you want me to finish this? It's in a very delicate state right now. You startled me; I almost-" She twitched an array of long, almost-hair-fine manipulators at the end of her right arm in a twisting, snapping flurried motion.

"Definitely don't want that happening. How delicate? Because if we're not destroyed we will be moving very fast soon."

"How long do we have?"

"Until everyone's on-board. Less than ten if there is no incident."
Nawar winced. "I'll get this as put away as I can."

* * *

Ferideh was away under the other, main starport when the alarms sounded, sharing a meal with her most lately acquired associates. At the alert they excused themselves and she walked calmly away, counter to the direction of most for whom this was their immediate direction.

She kept half her attention on her immediate surroundings, half keeping herself updated on the situation unfolding. At the cafeteria door she checked in with Algol, doing her own running through corridors, albeit with the crowd.

Then she checked with Shula, who was fine but impatient to get off the ground. Several other escorts had already lifted off, performing valiant screening of the evacuation. It helped that they were supported by fire from the ground but three carriers were a lot of the force needed to take one of their homeworlds and they were playing for time, not victory.

As she ran through tunnels to her ship the hum and ticking monitors in her head of firing ground emplacements reassured her of the time she had remaining to make it. The sudden silence of the guns, the symbolic fizzle of shields giving way, and the battering shaking of the ground underfire were not conducive to such reassurance.

She ran harder, sped to a rate that would hurt most for trying.

* * *

Algol steadied herself against the wall. When the whole complex began shaking that was very bad news, and she'd began running for the surface with a desperate urgency. Altair had kept pace, skipping. They kept going. After a while they realised the shaking had stopped.

They paused, cautiously

"I swear," began Algol, "if they have defeated us again, I will go down with such fury they will hesitate to call this a victory."

The coast was clear. Still no shaking. They headed upstairs and a message came through on the corps network, an advisory. It stated neither shield nor guns had been taken down, they'd simply failed. An Algonthen landing force had established foothold at each spaceport and further evacuation would be an extreme risk. No instructions were issued to surrender, try anyway or make some last stand.

She asked Shula for an assessment from the surface.

~ Evacuation mostly complete. Escorts flitting to fluid intermittently. Some remain. Some still grounded too. Hurry. ~

She nodded to her sister. "Want to see if we can do something about the defences on our way up? If someone else gets it first we can keep on going."

Altair smiled. "Hesitate to call this a victory."

* * *

It was policy for those not on duty to go unarmed while on base. Because of this, the first Algonthen marine to encounter Ferideh got a knife through her eye. Her partner fell to a small blaster Ferideh kept concealed under her clothes and afterward the information officer used their rifles instead.

With Algonthen soldiers increasingly densely placed as she drew nearer to Shula, Ferideh appreciated her similarly increased ability to drop them out of relevance. Her progress still was greatly slowed, now running was no longer a practical option and she found herself increasingly called to skulk her way through.

Eventually she came to a point where she had to stop entirely. Frustratingly near to her destination, faced with a fight if she continued which she could not judge the likely full extent of.

She hesitated until almost the last moment at that intersection. Behind her, where she had been and the way she did not want to go. Ahead, through that door a throng of Algonthen soldiers, approaching, and apparently many more beyond. Uncertainty held her, thinking she could take those but how many beyond, and beyond those, and all the way to the exit. Though they were assuredly finite she did not know how they were placed and thus not how to undo the obstacle they posed, except to think she might just manage it anyway.

At the last decision moment she bolted left, to a different corridor, taking down the startled pair of Algonthen guards as she raced pace and down the rampcase to the next lower level. She would find a longer, more manageable path. And if that failed there would always be time for slaughter later.

* * *

Hanifah finished applying the tourniquet.

"Try not to strain that too much, not that you'll have much luck keeping that advice for a while yet."

The girl slumped against the wall nodded weakly. She had lost a lot of blood.

"Right then."

Hanifah peeked out the door, cautious. No one around. She edged along the corridor wall to the next intersection, peered down the length of their path. Still no one- no. Two Algonthens had come out of a side room, now leaning against a wall chatting. They seemed to be alone.

She hefted the weapon she had taken from another of their number earlier, took a deep breath, and pushed the door open. They only managed a couple of wide shots, the disadvantage of being surprised.

Hanifah headed back to the room where the others were waiting.

"It's clear," she said.

* * *

As they headed upward they began to encounter Algonthen soldiers. Then more, then lots. The others who had ran to escape with them were scattered, or dead, or evacuated hopefully.

At first Algol and Altair tried to avoid the Algonthens. Later, that became impractical when they found the room they had ducked into to hide blocked by an accidental guard. Despite her best efforts, Algol could not see if he were alone or accompanied by others outside.

~ There is no help for this. We cannot keep evading them, we will have to fight our way up. ~

Altair nodded.

~ Ready? ~

Altair nodded again.

Algol pulled the door open fast, looped her arm around his neck and pulled him in, kicking the door closed in front of them, pulling him down on the ground until a while after resistance stopped. No one came to interrupt them. Her search got her armed, and the name of the man she'd brought down, but nothing more. There still was no one outside.

"More of this from here. Let's go."

* * *

Downstairs was not better. Ferideh flitted in shadows and doorways, avoiding contact and not getting closer to her goal. She took a still wider path away from Shula, until finally finding what she was after: a soldier alone of fitting size.

Ferideh got halfway to her target before being noticed. The woman startled first and lost another few metres to surprise, then couldn't hit a target who bounced between the walls in the remaining moments before she was tackled and dragged to a side-room.

Ferideh's hand pressed down on her throat. She struggled, she flailed, she rasped attempted pleas for help, her heels beat frantic on the floor, but she could not loosen that grip, and eventually her consciousness failed. Ferideh stripped her.

"Shame. I liked this outfit," she said undressing herself.

She put on the Algonthen uniform. Ferideh studied the naked woman at her feet and concentrated, focusing until she had assumed that woman's appearance as best she could manage at such short notice. Good enough for casual work, but nothing more. She walked back out with a welcome nonchalance.

~ Shula, how's it coming out there? ~

~ Bad. Nearly everyone gone, carriers hovering right above. Hurry, please. ~

~ Crew? ~

~ Only Nawar still. What's keeping you all? ~

~ They're thick down here. Not easy. Think I'm going to get up by the port and wait for the rest. Might need some help. ~

~ Better be fast. Don't know how long before they start showing an interest in me. ~

* * *

A bad turn brought them under a lot of fire from a whole squad. They barely scrambled back around the corners in time.

Algol fired round the corner without looking. It didn't seem to have any effect. Altair worked quickly, renewing their shields.

~ Ready? ~

~ Ah, yes! ~

~ Then let's go ~

Algol stepped out again, her sister a moment behind across from her. She raked her weapon across the assembled Algonthens, trying not to flinch back from their fire while she targeted them. Beside her, Altair wove her fingers swiftly and twisted, hurling soldiers back against the door behind them.

Weapons fire ceased. They walked forward.

"You want a gun?"

Altair shook her head. "Can't keep it up this way though. Wait a bit?"

"Sure."

Altair traced her fingers over the wall and where her fingers passed it burned. Pieces came off, small sheets of ceramic, on which her hands engraved small detailed markings. One was handed to Algol.

"Better shielding," said Altair. Others she marked different patterns on. "In case," she said.

They stepped over the bodies, then Algol paused again, cocking her head. "More coming."

* * *

Most of those Hanifah had collected on her way up were of the space corps themselves, and able to fight. A couple of them had claimed weapons off the soldiers she'd killed, which made progress easier. They were not able to slip smoothly and easily unnoticed and had little choice in their path. They had to force for themselves a way through what options were available. It was a slow path.

Hanifah sent another barrage of fire round the corner. Finally there was quiet. When she looked the hall was safe. She gave a nod to Zafir, who moved in, and waved the others behind her to proceed. Some took up weapons from the defeated. Others were busy assisting the wounded.

From behind came the sound of running footsteps, then more blaster fire. Some of Hanifah's charges fell to this attack from behind. She yelled for the rest to get to the sides, forcing open a door herself for shelter. Their attackers now held the position they had been in just a minute before, but better equipped.

She got a good shot at one peeking round at her lot, but there were others ready to replace him.

"I've got places to be," she yelled at the Algonthen soldiers, then growled under her breath "this is taking bloody forever."

A hint of motion caught her eye, an Algonthen arm swinging out to throw a grenade their way. Lucky shot made it drop, then she laid down fire all round so they couldn't send it forward and yelled her side to cover, then to charge in its wake. That simplified things.

* * *

Perhaps, thought Algol, the evacuation ahead of her had not gone so well. And perhaps not so well for the Algonthens either. Increasingly the halls through which they moved were already smokey and bearing signs of battle.

Altair clapped a hand over her mouth to cover a scream.

"What is it?"

"It's here. The one from the Potboiler."

"The one who knocked out our defences?"

Altair nodded.

"If we take em down, will the defences go back online?"

"Possibly."

Altair grabbed her sister's shoulder. "Wait. I will have been noticed. Close now, need better protection."

She took another, much larger piece from the wall and inscribed it swiftly. When she finished it crumbled into the air around them, sparkling.

"What's that for?"

"So you don't break your neck. Now we're ready, maybe. Maybe. That way." She pointed, Algol nodded.

They edged forward, round a few corners in tense silence. Ahead, long shadows were cast at the next intersection. Cautiously, to the corner, the leaping out to confront.

He stood tall, all in black, cape hanging easily behind. His hair was black too, a roughly trimmed fringe over icy blue eyes, and he was flanked by guards as he choked a Zaran official for information. Algol's first shot went wide.

Slowly he turned, letting his prisoner drop, crumpled, and pointed at Altair. "You. You were on that ship that escaped. The... Shula? Take them. They are valuable."

Altair spun a wave of force that knocked one soldier flying. The second and third stopped short. None of Algol's shots were connecting. None of their enemies' were either, but that was less concerning.

He frowned. "What are you... ? Ahh, yes. We shall see about that."

Altair's hands working frantically in the air to no visible effect, she began to sweat. "Dooo something. Hold him!"

"How? I can't hit anything!"

"Throw this." She slipped Algol one of her tiles from earlier, took another out and scribed it desperately one-handed while her left still shaped in the air.

Algol hurled the tile fast at the sorcerer's chest but it curved wide and shattered on the wall. Where it struck two sides of the corridor crumbled to dust in gaping holes, uselessly. He laughed.

Altair bared her teeth in a grin, speaking incomprehensible words as she dropped her newly carved tile. It hit the floor and lines of flame flowed out fast ahead of them. He took a step back, a suddenly panicked expression, swept his cape around the front of his body protectively.

"Now, now!" she yelled, and her next woven thrust pushed him back, Algol's shots scorching and piercing his cape curved wide around and away to peter out, and then he stepped forward, snarling.

"I said get them."

He was unharmed. Algol's shots had been near enough to damage his clothes, but still managed to miss him. His escort ran forward and he himself pulled out a small blaster, gleaming metal implements visible on his belt.

"It's too much," whispered Altair, and dropped another tile to the floor. She made a pushing gesture in the air, and the Algonthen soldiers stopped as if slammed into an invisible wall.

"Runrunrun! We have to go." She grabbed Algol's hand and pulled her back, and then they were fled.

They ran long and they ran hard, up and away. No care for quiet in that urgent flight, any Algonthen encountered shot dead on sight by Algol or crushed against a wall by her sister, until Altair finally declared they were far enough for a momentary rest.

Panting, leaning against the inside wall of another room they'd ducked into.

"We didn't manage it. I'm sorry. But we're nearly out?"

"Close to the top. Don't know what good it'll do us. Shula says there's nearly nothing left out there; we'll be torn to shreds if we try to take off without cover. But it won't do us any good to go back after him, right?"

Altair shook her head. "Can't. Beyond me."

"And he's knocked the base's defences out."

"Hey! That's an idea."

"Yeah?"

"I can't stop him direct, but if we go up to the defence controls I could break his effect there."

"You. Are. The. Best."

"But he-"

"Alright, let's sort this."

~ Ferideh, what's your status? ~

~ Proud member of the Algonthen navy awaiting your order. ~

~ We've got to get up to the defence station and get ourselves some cover for launch. I'm sending our location, meet us here. ~

~ Hanifah, how's it going at your end? ~

~ Busy. Slow. Heavy fire, too often. We'll get there in time. Maybe. ~

~ Shula, I'm sorry we're taking so long. We'll be out as soon as we possibly can. ~

~ You'd better. There's one ship for the evacuation still on the ground, on promise of those Hanifah's picked up. They would have made if they left when they wanted to. ~

Algol winced.

"What were you saying?"

"I can't be the best. Especially not with him around."

"Oh, but you're good enough. No question."

* * *

Every time they came under fire they came out with more wounded, or rescued a prisoner, or found someone hidden away. Just keeping them able to move without dying immediately was stretching Hanifah's skills. Plenty had died, and she wished she'd been able to do more about that. Especially after the last one.

She did what she could. Hanifah left her weapon on the table and knelt to examine her latest patient. Bad situation, but this one would be able to walk out with a bit of work, fire a blaster on the way if she had to.

"This is going to hurt," said Hanifah. "I recommend not crying out in our current circumstances, but I've got something you can bite down on instead."

There was movement behind her.

"Raise your hands and step away. You are being taken prisoner of the Algonthen Empire."

Ferideh did not stop working. "I'm a medic. I'm busy."

Suddenly there was a muzzle brushing against the back of her head. "I said stand!"

Ferideh spun round and jammed her scalpel into his throat, dragged it across and kicked him back, so his blood wouldn't get on her patient.

"And I said I'm busy. Damn kids."

She knelt down to retrieve her scalpel while his eyes pled.

"Going to need to sterilise this again."

* * *

Fortunately Ferideh had called ahead, because if they had only seen her enter they would have tried to kill her.

"You like my look? It's the very latest fashion in these parts, but I don't care for it myself."

"It's very, uh... we've got to get you out of that as soon as possible."

"As you say, Algol m'dear, but first to capture you and take you somewhere important. Are we ready?"

"We're ready."

"Out you go then. Try not to get mad at my glower. And I'll confiscate this for the time being."

Ferideh took Algol's rifle and hung it on her belt, while her two prisoners tried to appear suitably unhappy. It was especially difficult when Altair kept skipping, but mostly a suitably intense glower and roll of her eyes from Ferideh kept suspicion away from the soldiers they passed.

This enabled them to travel unaccosted until they reached the defence control node for the spaceport itself. The two guards outside were regrettably aware it was not a place for storing prisoners, and by the time Algol caught the rifle Ferideh tossed her they were dead.

Algol and Ferideh dragged the corpses up the passageway to the control room. Altair skipped on ahead and set to work scribing on the floor.

"So Ferideh, do you think they got off a call for help before we killed them?"

"You know, I wouldn't have thought so, but it sounds like they did. Or we have very bad luck."

"Probably!" called Altair. "Especially in here."

It was not long before the first patter of enemy fire began pinging off the ceiling.

"Could you keep that out? I need to concentrate."

"Sure thing sis. Sure thing."

They tried to keep the passageway clear, to push back toward the entrance when they could. It wouldn't have worked at all if not for Ferideh, who was fast enough to punt grenades back as soon as they were tossed. They only tried that twice, then gave up, but there were still enough outside to keep them pinned so long as they were guarding Altair.

She took minutes that felt much longer to finish her work, then studying it to be sure she was done before declaring so.

"We can restart the defences now."

"Just these locally?"

"Just these."

"Alright. They won't be much. Definitely wait for the last moment; Shula can give the order remotely. Now we go get Hanifah."

"Out?"

"Out."

"Aye Commander."

They stepped into the passageway, pressing forward and the Algonthens back, until finally they were out in the open again and none remained. Algol pointed left with her weapon.

"Onward."

* * *

"All clear."

Hanifah waved her group forward and stepped out. Nearly out now, all the way to the top level. And there at last were the rest of the crew coming to meet her. Ferideh had dropped her Algonthen guise, though not the uniform, and Hanifah felt weird hugging her dressed as the enemy.

"I hope you're not keeping that."

"Maybe in the trophy cabinet. Can I get a trophy cabinet?"

"I don't think Nawar will like that idea," said Algol. "But maybe if you ask her and Shula very nicely."

"Then we'd better get going. They've been waiting long enough already."

Hanifah caught them up with the situation of the group she was leading. Altair helped move those wounded who needed it while Algol and Ferideh took point. It went much quicker with them all together, relatively in comparison to the day so far.

Finally they reached the entrance to the spaceport which turned not to be guarded anywhere near as securely as the Algonthens thought. Ferideh tore through them easily, almost not needing a weapon.

Shula had been given the signal and gave a simultaneous vaporisation of those Algonthen forces and transports outside on the ground. Shields up, ground emplacements reactivated, for the moment and for now the carriers' renewed bombardment was not getting through.

They rushed the survivors out to the last ship as quickly as they could without killing any in the doing, with Shula counting down ver estimate of time remaining all the while in their heads. It was getting low, volleys from overhead shaking the ground under them when finally everyone was as safe as they were getting, the crew racing back to the relative security of Shula now they were nearly done.

They did not need telling to secure themselves, though ve reminded them anyway, and they were lifting off in moments. Altair had to work especially hard to keep them from being destroyed every moment; this much attention was well beyond what Shula could manage ordinarily, but they had only to keep it up for a couple of minutes diverting attention until the Swift Water was up and into fluid space.

As soon as their charge was free, badly battered but intact and gone beyond pursuit, Shula slipped into fluid space also and they were finally probably out of danger for now.

* * *

After the frantic effort of their escape Shula took a languid pace to their destination. Everyone slept, bathed or otherwise decompressed and they did not come to the rendezvous point until many our passed.

When Shula did emerge into ordinary space - far to the outer edges of the belt this time, hundreds of AU from their sun, they found only a bare lump of ice in empty space. A small buoy placed in orbit around it declared their regathering cancelled, too dangerous. All Zaran loyalists were advised to do for themselves and the cause as best they could, to await further news by means unspecified.

It did not appear to be a trap, and Shula drifted.

Comments

[infinitely-late.livejournal.com]

Hey, congratulations! That sounds like a win to me. It's your story, after all, and isn't it more important to tell it in a way that you like, rather than try to draw it out to meet the word count? So, yay!