Chapter 7

The sun was high in the sky by the time Nate and Ketri finally came within range of the base Nate had learned to call home over the last couple of weeks. Ketri was in high spirits, singing along to the stereo as their lumbering vehicle sailed across the dunes. It was a beautiful day, without a cloud in the sky or hint of sandstorm on the horizon. As they crested a ridge, Nate caught a glimpse of something far off in the distance. Raising himself higher up in the turret, he dropped the optical snoopers over his helmet’s visor and zoomed in. Sure enough, there was something there. A cluster of billowing towers of smoke rising ominously in the still air.

“Ket ... You might want to have a look at this...” He called down to her over the local communications frequency as he turned the gun and its suite of sensors towards the smoke. “Check the optics feed from the turret.”

“Oh no...” He heard her breath through his earpiece. “That’s the same direction as the base...”

“Have you tried hailing them?”

“I’ll do that now!”

Nate felt apprehension rising in his gut as Ketri went silent, switching to another frequency.

“Nate ... They’re not responding. I checked the emergency channel and ... There’s a message playing on loop. A warning to stay away...” Her voice was shallow and empty.

“What should we do?” He asked, after a pause.

“I ... I don’t know ... The message says to keep away, but what if they need our help? I can’t just abandon my friends...” Ketri’s voice cracked. “What would you do?”

Nate considered for a moment as the sinking feeling in his chest intensified.

“We should check it out, from a distance at least. The Conglomerate usually launches raids at night, when our ... I mean, their, day-for-night and thermals put them at an advantage. If it was an attack, they’ll be long gone by now. And there could be survivors...” He finally pronounced.

“Ok ... Hold on tight, I’m going to punch it.”

Nate swallowed as the truck began to build up speed, not from the acceleration, but from the knowledge that his line about survivors was probably a lie. Within about 20 minutes, they were close enough for Nate to get a better view of the situation. His heart sank into his boots as the scene unfolded before him. Barracks, office buildings and the mess hall had been ripped to shreds by heavy cannon fire and the motor pools had been reduced to smoldering craters by missiles. The fuel dumps were still burning, the source of the smoke towers they had seen earlier. A quick scan with his thermals showed no immediate signs of life, though such signatures could be being obscured by the heat of the fires. Nate heard a wail of dismay as they got close enough for Ketri to see too. Throwing caution to the wind, she floored the accelerator and the truck practically flew towards the site.

They passed through the remains of the gate, guard towers flattened to rubble, and Nate noticed the long streaks of glass gleaming across the ground where the sand had been cooked by the exhaust of orbital shuttle engines. This was the Conglomerate’s handiwork, no doubt. Ketri slammed on the brakes and he saw her throw open the door and tumble out into the wreckage-strewn sand. Chasing after her, he hauled himself out the top hatch of the turret and landed next to her in time to help the little Xeno to her feet. She was trembling, lips pulled back in a feral snarl and chest heaving. He wanted to say something, but he was at a loss for words as his mate staggered forward, stumbling and tripping in the sand. As he followed her into the main complex, bodies began to appear. Burned, twisted and broken, the shapes of their former comrades were strewn carelessly across the nightmarish landscape before them. Ketri almost tripped over the charred remains of another Sha’dee, roasted to a crisp by an Overlord’s gauntlet flamethrower and fell over, dry-heaving through sobs.

“Nate...” She turned to him, face streaked with tears and voice cracking. “Y-you ... This ... I-it...”

“It wasn’t him.”

They both turned to the sound of the quiet but familiar voice.

“Captain!” Ketri shrieked, staggering to her feet and stumbling towards the forlorn figure propped against a crumbling wall.

It was Thoros alright, the greying hair and long, notched ears were unmistakable. He was draped in a tattered longcoat, caked with mud and darker blotches that could only be blood. One of his legs was twisted at an angle that made Nate slightly sick to look at, and his right sleeve was hanging limp, with no hand to be seen at the end of it. But the worst by far was his stomach. The plated vest strapped over the alien’s coat had been sliced open and there was a tremendous wound across his belly, obscured by a hand which was presumably the only thing keeping the old man’s guts inside of him.

“Ketri ... Nate...” Thoros rattled, mustering a painful grin through the broken cigarillo still clenched in his teeth.

He was taken aback. The Captain had addressed him by his first name.

“Could you give me a light ... I’d do it myself, but my left arm is a bit ... occupied. And I seem to have misplaced my right one...” The Captain choked, struggling to maintain a casual tone.

“Oh no! Oh no oh no oh no!” Ketri whimpered, staring at him. “C-captain! P-please ... You need help! We have to get you to the sickbay ... we can...”

“That’s a good idea, Ensign.” Thoros whispered. “You should go look for a first aid kit. There might be one in the armory. They torched everything else...”

“OF COURSE SIR! RIGHT AWAY SIR!” Ketri croaked, snapping to attention then bolting off toward the armory.

Nate approaching the dying man, reaching into his utility belt for a lighter. He knelt down and conjured a flame, allowing the Sha’dee to rekindle his smoke.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, sir ... But I think you’re well past first aid kit territory...” He whispered grimly.

The battered alien tried to muster a chuckle, but only managed to hack up a mouthful of sickly, dark red blood.

“Yes ... But it will take Ketri a while to find one. And I don’t want her to see this.”

“I ... I understand.” Nate swallowed and looked down.

“I need you to do me two favors, Human boy.” Thoros stated, letting a cloud of smoke escape blood-caked nostrils.