The Icarian Legacy Collected Edition: Brave Souls - First Strike (Volume 3) (82 page)

“It’s amazing isn’t it?”

“It sure is sir, have to give it to them the Ksand really knew how to build.”

“To bad that it will soon be just a pile of rubble.”

Rivers and Flint looked at Jenkins.

He just raised his shoulders.

“What?”

They just shook their heads.

“Leave it to Jenkins to state the obvious at the worst time.”

“Oh come on F I’m just telling the truth.”

Flint looked at his friend.

“The cap has a concussion but maybe I should smack u on the head as well.”

Jenkins made a sour face and then embraced Flint.

“Nah you’re too good at heart F to do that.”

At that moment Rivers slapped him on the back of the head.

“He is but I’m not.”

“Cap now why did you have to do that? Now I will have to pay it back someday”

Rivers and Flint smiled at the last comment. Jenkins was notorious about his jokes.

“Guess I will have to live to see it. And ask Doc to plan my revenge.”

“Now that sir is just unfair.”

“You just said it Jen…Sir”

“Shit… i guess I’ll have to rethink my strategy.”

They all smiled.

Their joking was cut short as one of the Illians approached.

He pointed towards a door on the other side of the hall and they noticed that both Gordon and Luis were taken there. They were lying on stretchers that were placed on a small boxy vehicle that drove them there. Several Illians and two Sicarians walked with them. They were checking them with scanners and talking between them.

“Come with me.”

Rivers nodded and they all slowly headed after the Illian.

As they reached the door they noticed the others waiting for them.

As they entered the door closed behind them and they could feel that they started moving. It was obvious that they were in an elevator.

A minute later the door opened in to a hallway that lead in to what was obvious the medical department of the base. They noticed beds with wounded on both sides through the transparent glass and they could see the medical staff tending them. Most of the doctors were Illians but there were also Sicarians and several other creatures.

They all stopped as they noticed the first Ksand. 

    The creature wore a blue garment that covered his body but as they watched it they were reminded of the image they saw on the ship. This one was smaller than the creature Aria showed them. It was about 4.6 feet tall and it looked young.  As they watched it, the Ksand turned and met their gaze. Its dark eyes looked at the three humans and as it watched them they took a gentle look. The Ksand nodded and then smiled. After that it returned to its work monitoring the patients in the room.

Agoa watched the humans as they exchanged the looks with Kro’Gun. The young Ksand was one of the best doctors they had but also one of the rare young members of that waning race. He felt warm in his heart as he noticed the gentle looks the humans sent towards it. It was obvious that they knew some part of the history and the tragedy of the Ksand race.

As they turned towards him he waved them forward and then went after the medical car that was taking the two most seriously wounded humans. From the scans he knew that one of them was critical. It was amazing that he was still alive but it also proved the skill of the one that treated him. He turned and looked at Flint. He was obviously a warrior but he was also a doctor. He wondered if the ethics about taking a life bothered him. But as he watched him he noticed the hard face and he knew that Flint was a born killer just as the rest of the humans in this group. And even if it was strange it was something that he valued and welcomed. He welcomed it because he knew the enemy they were fighting. He knew how ruthless they were and he knew that in order to win they needed warriors that will have no mercy. And he knew that these humans would show no mercy towards the Dacarians.

He received the briefing about them at least what little was known and he hoped that they were just a scout force for a much larger force that was coming here. He knew that that would be the only chance he and everyone he knew had for survival. 

It took them almost five minutes to reach their destination.

Rivers watched the car carrying Luis and Gordon stop before the door. As it did one of the Illians pressed a button and the door slid to the side revealing an advanced medical facility behind it. He noticed the Illian that called them stop as the car entered inside.

As they approached he turned and looked at them.

“This is where our doctors will take care of you and your wounds.”

“Thank you.”

Agoa watched the three humans as they entered the operating room. He watched them until the door closed behind them.

Asa’Kar watched the Alterans as they entered his medical room. He smiled as he remembered their name now. They called them self humans now. The first two with the most serious wounds were already on the operating table. He watched his assistants, two Illians, a sicarian and a human female as they were taking the final scans before activating the machines that would do the operation and the healing process.

  The human female was confused at same time excited and filled with fear as she watched the unknown humans. He could understand her. He knew that for her these humans represented something special. They were a sign that their home was still free that there was a human world somewhere out there untouched by the Dacarian legions.

That thought made him smile. It was a something that every race fighting against them shared the dream of freedom.

Ofelia looked at him and indicated without speaking that the scan is complete. She handed him the pad and as he looked at it he noticed that the human had serious injuries. He was surprised that he is still alive but as he watched he knew that the human medic made a good job of stopping the bleeding and a perfect field surgery that prolonged this man’s life long enough to reach here.

He turned toward one of the Illians and spoke.

“Olak bring me the nanites. And Murial you can activate the healing chamber. Place the priority to the wounds to his lung and spine. He has serious wounds but they did a good field surgery that saved his life. Now it’s our turn.”

Flint watched the Ksand give orders. He couldn’t understand the language but he could understand authority and it was obvious that the Ksand was in charge. As he watched he noticed the Sicarian activating on machine that looked like a chamber and he noticed the Illians rotating the stretcher Gordon was lying on toward it. He saw that Rivers and Jenkins were watching as well.

The human female handed a strange looking device that reminded him of a jet injector to the Ksand.

Before he could administer it Flint stepped forward.

“What is that?”

The Ksand turned toward him looking with surprise. It was obvious that he doesn’t understand him.

He felt like kicking his head as he remembered that he asked the question in English not Latin.

He repeated the same question this time in Latin.

The Ksand smiled and showed him the device.

“This is a nanite injector. We will use nanites to fix his internal injuries. You did a good job saving his life doctor. Now let me finish the job.”

Flint nodded.

The Ksand turned and administered the injection directly in the neck. Gordon didn’t move a muscle. He was unconscious, and Flint even feared that he might be slipping in a coma.

Moments later the Illians placed him in the chamber and it closed. As it did lasers activated inside it and started performing surgery and regeneration of his body. It was impressive technology that was light years ahead of anything humanity had. Even with the AI’s help he knew it will still take decades before this becomes reality back on Earth.

As the Ksand monitored the pad that showed the progress of Gordon’s operation the human female and the Sicarian approached Jenkins and Luis. The female sat Luis on the same place where Gordon sat just moments before and as he watched she performed another scan. Luis was calm. He was a medic as well and he knew that what she did was probably scanning his body for any other injuries and taking all the important parameters in to account. She was finished moments later and she showed him to lie down. The same machine that took a reading and did an invasive scan of Gordon passed over him and then the Ksand injected nanites in to his bloodstream as well. It was obvious that he also administered some drug as well considering that he was a sleep just moments later.

He smiled as he noticed Jenkins squirming as the Sicarian took care of his wound.

Rivers smiled as well as he saw the uncomfortable look on Jenkins face.

“Come on Jenkins be still. You’re a big boy.”

“I might be a big boy cap but he is a butcher. Ah watch it!!!”

He shoved the Sicarian as he yelled that.

The Sicarian watched him with surprise and turned to the other humans. He noticed their laugh and relaxed a bit.

“He is a big man but he’s a crybaby. Be gentle with him.”

Murial watched the man who spoke with surprise. He knew that he made some kind of a joke on his friends account but didn’t understand the word. He knew what a baby was and crying as well but it took him a second to understand. As he did he smiled.

“Damn cap look what you did now. Even the Sica is laughing at me.”

The Sicarian turned towards him and with a smile pointed to the wound and to him.

“Cry baby?”

Jenkins looked stunned.

“You didn’t just call me that now did you.” As he did he touched the gun that was standing next to him.

If the sicarian was afraid he showed nothing on his face.

“I think he called your bluff Jen. Let the man do his job.”

Jenkins exhaled.

“You’re right cap. Common let’s finish this.”

Before the Sicarian touched his hand he showed him to stop and took out his sleeve himself. Then he showed the Sicarian to carry on.

He winced as the Sicarian examined his wound. It was partially cauterized but he had several cuts from the branches and they hurt like hell. He knew that the wound won’t get infected thanks to Flint but it still hurt a lot. And he had some trouble moving it as well.

The Sicarian looked at him.

“You have some deep cuts and damaged nerves. You were lucky that it was only a glancing hit.”

Jenkins looked at the Sicarian.

“Yeah I know but it still is a pain in the ass. Can you fix it?”

The Sicarian took an injection and a strange looking device and looked at him.

“Yes. Compared with the injuries of your friends this is minor.”

“Thanks.”

He looked at the Sicarian and smiled.

“I’m Jenkins.”

“Murial. Glad to know your name Alteran.”

Jenkins smiled as he heard the ancient name for their race.

The Sicarian injected the nanites and then activated the device in his hand. Jenkins felt a burning sensation for a second as the green beam the device emitted touched his skin but it passed quickly. Then he felt an itch as he felt his nerves and body regenerating.

Rivers and Flint smiled as they watched Jenkins. He was making such faces that even the human female and the Illians smiled as they watched him.

The female came to Rivers and looked at his injuries. She performed a quick scan and then called the Ksand showing him the results.

The Ksand looked at Rivers and then at Flint who noticing the look on his face stood up and went to him.

“Did he hit his head? Or was close to an explosion?”

“Yes. That is on both accounts. He killed one of the bastards with explosive and got knocked down by the explosion.”

The Ksand looked at Rivers.

Then he turned to Ofelia.

“Activate the last healing chamber. And bring me the last patch of nanites. He has a nasty hematoma that will expand and eventually kill him if we don’t remove it. There are also pieces of I believe wood splinters in his head small but enough to cause damage. We will have to do a surgery. And take care of the burns.”

Flint watched the discussion and waited for the Ksand to tell him what was wrong with Rivers.

Finally as Ofelia hurried to activate the chamber and bring the needed medication the Ksand turned.

“He has a large hematoma that is pressuring his brain. He also has splinters inside it that cause constant bleeding. He was unconscious for a while I presume and he had head aches since then.”

“Yes I presume that he has a concussion as well.”

“He does but that is not dangerous. It will cause him problems for a while but it won’t kill him. The hematoma will. We have to perform a surgery. I would value any input you have to give me.”

Flint nodded and then turned to Rivers who also heard the conversation.

“Well I’m in his hands I guess. Where does he want me?”

The Ksand pointed to where the human female was activating another chamber.

Rivers nodded and headed that way. As he sat down the woman pointed to his clothes. He smiled as he already knew that he will have to remove them, just as Luis did. Gordon was stripped by them.

It took him a minute to strip. Then he lied down and turned to Flint.

“If anything happens follow Anderson and the plan.”

Flint nodded.

“Yes sir.”

Moments later the nurse administered the drug and he lost consciousness.

The chamber sealed around him and the Ksand stood next to the controls. He activated a deep scan and a hologram that showed the hematoma and the other damage to the head. A moment later the chambers lasers started performing an incision that relieved the pressure on the brain as the blood flowed outside. Where the hematoma was part of the scalp of Rivers was removed and the lasers and the healing beams started performing the surgery. Flint watched in amazement as the blood flow slowed and then stopped. Moments later he could notice as the green beam passed over that the wounds were healing. The splinters were all removed easily and the wounds healed by the combination of the nanites and the healing energy of the lasers. When it was all over the skin was put back and healed as well. It looked as if Rivers had no wound at all.

The operation took almost an hour but to Flint it seemed as if time past much faster.

When it was all over he noticed the smile on the girls face. And he noticed that the others were relieved as well. It was obvious that they were important to them. He felt that they were getting a special treatment just because of who they were and he felt uncomfortable. They were nothing more than any of the people that lived on this world and fought the dacarians.

But he knew that that was not a case in the eyes of these people. To them they represented salvation and he knew that it would be a burden that all humanity will have to bear as the war expands.

He turned and noticed Jenkins looking at the chamber the captain was in. He smiled and he noticed the instant relief on his face. It was obvious that he was already healed.

He still scratched his hand. Flint knew that it was a consequence to the healed nerves.

“Your people will sleep for several hours. You can use that time to relax yourself as well.”

Flint looked at the Ksand.

“Thanks for everything.”

“No need to thank us. We only did what anyone would do in a situation like this.”

Flint smiled.

“Will someone show us where we will stay?”

The female smiled and looked at him.

“The officer that brought you here is waiting for you outside. He will take you to the rooms where your other people are.”

As she led them to the door he noticed her smirk.

As he looked at her she smiled.

“And when you get there I suggest a change of cloth and a bath.”

Jenkins smiled behind him.

“Jees F I think she is saying that you stink.”

Flint smiled.

“You sure she was talking about me?”

They both smiled. It was a smile of relief that showed that they were relaxed.

Even if she couldn’t understand the Ofelia smiled as well. It was good to see them smiling and happy. She would have what to say tonight when she met the other humans in the city.

Agoa turned as the door slid. He noticed two of the humans coming out. As he noticed the relieved expression on their face he knew that the others are ok. He guessed that they will have to spend some time in the healing chambers. He knew that they were using precious resources to heal them. These sector was rarely used almost never as their supplies of the nanites was limited. Most of the surgery was done the old fashioned way. The way he guessed the human operated on his fellow soldier.

But the elders wanted to protect this group and to learn what they could.

He led them through another door in to an elevator that raised them higher in to another sector where the other humans were placed. They arrived an hour later than this group.

“Your friends are in that room ahead. You can recuperate and rest there. Your friends will be brought to you when they wake up and later you will be taken before the council.”

Flint nodded and then opened the door.

Anderson turned as the door slid open to reveal Flint and Jenkins. So did Doc and Kelley.

One look at their faces showed them that everything was ok with the others.

“Well you finally made it back.”

“Sorry it took a while but had to stop at a place. Things to do you know, and a cry baby to look after.”

“Oh F, that was low even coming from you.”

“Cry baby? O you poor little thing…”

Jenkins looked at Doc with fear.

“F, see what you did. Jesus what a man has to live with. I will never survive this.”

Anderson and Kelley smiled at the joking between Doc and Jenkins. The two snipers were close like brothers, and big on jokes and teasing.

“How did it go? I guess they’ll live.”

Flint looked at his superior.

“Not just live but they’ll be as good as new and maybe even better now that they have the nanites in them. The technology they have…it is a dream come true. But I think that they don’t use it much. I think we got special treatment because of who we are.”

“They will be here in several hours and then we go and meet their elders.”

Anderson scratched his head.

“I know, they already asked to take us there but I told them that the only one that can talk is the Cap.  They didn’t pressure us in to anything.”

Flint looked at the XO.

He and Anderson went way back and in fact were part of the same team back on Earth. He knew that even with Rivers incapacitated Anderson was more then capable of taking over and continuing the mission. It was one of the reasons the teams were joined back on Earth. It gave them redundancy and always allowed there to be someone to take charge. He knew that anyone of them was more than capable.

“The cap said that you are in charge while he’s gone sir.”

Anderson smiled.

“I expected that, but we can wait for him. Besides we could use the rest, and the shower. Go and clean yourself. It feels good trust me.”

He gave him a wink.

Flint smiled and went to one of the free bunks. He took a clean uniform from the bag and got undressed. As he went to the shower Anderson placed his old uniform in the machine the Illian showed them and watched in amazement as it was washed and cleaned. It looked like magic but he knew that it was technology that was not far away even on Earth.

It took just several minutes for the uniform to be cleaned up. When Flint and Jenkins came out they both looked with surprise at the clean clothes.

They made no comment instead just dressed up and after a quick chow they started inspecting their own gear and cleaning their weapons. While they did that the others did the same for the weapons that belonged to Luis, Rivers and Gordon.

When they finished they used the rest of the time to catch a nap.

Several hours later they were interrupted when the Illian brought Luis, Rivers and finally Gordon.

As they came in to the room they were welcomed with smiles from all five Seals.

“Well how are our sleeping beauties? Did you three have a nice nap?” 

Luis looked at Jenkins and smiled.

“Why you want some as well cry baby?”

Jenkins looked at Rivers.

“Sir this isn’t fair. Not fair at all. This is torture I say, torture!”

“Oh Jen don’t be such a baby. It was about time that you saw how it feels.”

“Oh cute little boys I’m not mad Doc. Just wait till you all come on my turf. I’m sure you will like it.”

He raised his hands as several objects flew his way.

Gordon looked at them and then looked with serious eyes at Anderson.

“So sir what did I miss.”

“Oh you missed a lot. You even missed those big holes in your stomach and leg.”

Gordon looked at Luis.

“The way I hear it you were in the same boat. At least I was carried. You had to walk boy.”

That drew a few laughs.

And then they all quieted down as they remembered the friend they lost. They picked up their glasses and saluted.

“To absent friends, they are not forgotten.”

“I wish he could have seen this place. He would have loved it here.”

They looked at Luis. He was close with Singer, far closer then anyone.

After this they sat down and started discussing their next move.

Egert watched the map as it showed the dacarian advancement and the disposition of the remaining units he had outside of the main defensive line. All of the forward camps and basses were destroyed, most with heavy casualties, some with total. And he had high doubts that their first line of defense will last long. Not against the juggernaut that was coming its way.

And he knew that it was just the start. He was sure that there will be even more legions committed to this offensive probably from some of the other races that the Dacarians used. It was all coming to an end. He already started dispersing small groups of soldiers and civilians sending them to the inhospitable northern regions.  He knew many will die but those that would survive would come back one day and carry on the fight.

He turned to the other three commanders.

Hanno was the human general, Maukar was the leader of the Sicarians and Golak was the Lakarian general that was his second in command. They were lucky to have him. He had more experience in leading troops against the dacarians than any of them. And that went double for his people. All the races that contributed to what represented the Lakarian Army were excellent warriors that had decades of experience in this war. There were not that many of them. It was understandable since this world was far from the front lines but those that were here were a great addition to his force. And he knew that the humans were even greater. They fought with such vigor that he hoped would infect the others in his army. This was going to be their last great stand. And he planned to make it such a stand that it will never be forgotten.

He watched the red dots that represented the legions that were advancing and coming closer with each passing day, killing everything in their path. He knew how strong his last line of defense and the city defense was.