Xeno Core

Nett sprints across the open yard. He holds a bundle of live grenades tightly in one hand. Changing directions every few steps, he tries to present a difficult target to the invaders inside the small building. Gelly and the others provide covering fire from a drainage ditch, but the Tserri inside still risk exposing themselves to stop the mad bomber running toward them.

Shots fly past him, some close enough to feel the heat as they burn through the air. Delicate crystal grasses are ripped to shreds by the misses, filling the air with myriad tiny rainbows.

He tosses the explosives in a high arc. The grenades sail through the air and come down right in the mouth of the giant artillery piece.

He turns to run the other way before the package detonates. Moments pass as though days as he puts every ounce of effort into pushing his aching legs to move faster. Fear drives Nett as he races the final few steps across the lawn, breath coming in heaving gasps.

A massive boom grows behind the running crewmember, loud enough to shake the ground and make the walls of the artillery emplacement shudder. Shrapnel flies out, shredding the walls of the outpost as easily as the Tserri inside. Thunder reverberates through air filled with spinning metal and orange fire.

He yells and dives toward safety. The blast is directly behind him when he leaps.

The shockwave washes over the shallow trench Gelly and his team use to hide from the explosion. Nett doesn't get himself entirely into the ditch before the explosion, and his left leg now ends in a raw stump. Everyone is left deafened by the noise of the massive blast.

The team starts to panic when they realize that their medic lies died beside the remains of the bombadier. With no better option, Tulson takes charge and has Joa apply pressure to slow the bleeding. She then wraps the end in the cleanest cloth she can find. Making sure the bandages are tightly secured first, she has Joa let go and they back away.

Nett keeps whispering to himself about a longer fuse in a hollow voice. He's lost a lot of blood and is very pale, but the bindings are holding and preventing him from bleeding out.

Gelly sends Joa and Kali to look for somewhere safe they can fall back to. When they return with word that the hospital still partly stands, he nods grimly. He tenderly picks up the maimed crewmember and carries him, the others keeping watch on their surroundings.

It isn't what they want but the team decides he'll have to stay behind. Nett despondently agrees. They help the wounded crewman to the top floor of the ruined hospital. There the squad loads him down generously with ammunition and field rations. Gelly gives him a brief hug before the team leaves to continue the assualt. The wounded crewmember is left speechless when Kali not only hugs him but kisses his cheek as well.

Tulson makes them wait a bit longer when she spots some painkillers on the way down and wants to run them up to the suffering spacer. Liking the idea Gelly agrees and has the rest of the team look for more useful medicines while they wait. He notes down the supplies they take and after only a few moments more they file out the front exit.

A somber mood accompanies the weary team on their way. During the long march to the Capital Building the thought that any one of them could be the next casualty plays through their minds. Only Gelly seems immune to the gloom that shrouds them as they travel, a thoughtful expression on his grime covered face.

Even in their distracted state the team are immediately aware when they step into the government district. The roads are much better maintained, the signs are of higher quality, and the style of the buildings changes markedly. Far from the concrete and brick boxes of the rest of the colonial capital, this sector features round towers topped with low domes and with many large windows.

Most striking of all is the abundance of native flora, carefully guided into artful designs that drape the simplistic architecture and add much needed depth and detail to the region. Reflections bounce between crystalline leaves causing the entire area to shine as if under a spotlight.

"I'll show ye a trick the chief's son taught me on me first hunt," Gelly says as he reaches down and scoops up a fistful of dark loamy mud. He coats his face liberally, paying special attention to the area around his eyes. "This'll keep some 'o the glare off. Help yer aim."

Faces smeared with thick mud, they continue on.

Without shadows in which to hide the team instead marches brazenly down the main boulevard leading to the Capital Building. Gelly leads with Joa taking up a rearguard position. The three officers between them keeping lookout to the sides and above, protecting the group from ambush.

Encountering only a single lone alien patrolling as they travel, the trip is fairly uneventful. By midmorning they can see their target and take position where they can observe and plan.

---

A quarter of a day spent watching the compound is enough to convince the squad. Enemy reinforcements aren't coming.

Parked on the overgrown lawn in front of the Capital Building are two battered personal space fighters. Next to the fighter craft is a standard model shuttle.

They haven't spotted a single person, Tserri or otherwise, entering or exiting the building since the team had arrived. Movement, however, can occasionally be seen behind shuttered windows.

"So what's the plan," Kali asks in exasperation, picking a small slimy creature from her hair. "You think they know we're here?" She and Marta had dug up some of the sod and used it to make a shallow blind.

Operative Drop wakes up and looks at Scout Povrel from where he had been sitting, leaning against an ornamental tree, hidden from view by its trunk and low branches. Joa's been up there all day, staring at the building through her gunsights. The rest of the surviving assault team are spread around the area, waiting for a shout from Gelly.

"Oh, aye. They know."

Four startled faces turn towards him and he suppresses a chuckle.

"What? How could you know that Gel?" Tulson asks from under the thorny bush she's been using for cover. She's covered in painful scratches.

"Oh, that's easy. I let them know," he says casually. "Right when we arrived."

The women's faces become white as snow and Tulson pulls out one of her ceramic thirty-threes. She aims it at Gelly's head.

"What? Have none o' ye tried yer comms?" Gelly shakes his head in mock exasperation. "Call Jim, ask him if'n I need a few new holes. I'll accept his word, I will."

Blaster never wavering, Tulson nods at Marta who quickly pulls out her personal communicator and flicks the pad a few times.

Ship-Father Tollek's voice comes out, slightly tinny. "You ready to come in and have a hot shower? Or would you rather keep camping with Gel?"

The front door opens, and Jim Tollek is standing in the entryway, communicator in one hand and a cocky grin on his face.

Joa drops gracefully from the tree and kicks Gelly in the ribs before walking calmly up to the Capital Building. The other officers follow her without sparing a glance at the Weapons Operative. He's laughing even as he's doubled over in pain.

The Ship-Father steps aside to let them into the well-appointed lobby. "Crewmen Sipa and Itan should be returning with the wounded Operative you stationed at Bever's Mercy Hospital by nightfall," he says quietly to his crew as they pass.

Kali's face lights up when she hears this good news. She had thought Nett likely to bleed out before help could get to him. Her step is just a bit livelier as she continues inside. The tired and filthy spacers are pleased to hear that Nett will be promoted.

Jim shouts over to his still wheezing officer, "Make sure to tell Mother all about how I secured the Grand Matron before you even got here in your letter tonight, cousin."