***
As Rina and Marante hurried down the tunnel, wails of death sent chills up Rina’s spine. Marante stumbled and Rina grabbed him before he hit the ground. He was surprisingly light in weight. She stood him up and leaned him against the wall.
“You stay here,” she said. “I’ll stop the dredging.”
“You are not familiar with the systems,” said Marante, pushing her on. “Let us go.”
The ground shook hard, the rumble deafening. The two staggered out of the way of the stones and boulders falling from above. From down the tunnel, a wave of lava broke through the ceiling.
“We must hurry!” said Marante, who strained to stand. Rina wrapped Marante’s arm around her shoulder. “Let’s go!”
They reached the unguarded doors of the Command Center when the quaking stopped.
“This place is going to go at any moment,” she said, looking about.
“It seems the Oridians had a glorious day,” said Marante.
Several Barras, puddles of white blood, and severed Zorcon body parts littered the gray Hitan floor. The sight of the shredded carnage made her sick. She counted fourteen small mounds of brown dirt. Numerous blast holes pitted the black rock. A dead Oridian lay beside the entrance.
Hundreds of NBs embedded the walls and ceiling, all with their red lights off. Around the oval cavern, dark blue consoles containing colorful orbs took up the space. In the center of the room was a flat round table sitting on a platform with orbs along its edge.
Marante went to the center table. He waved his hand over a blue orb and a huge hologram rose up from the middle of the table, displaying the inside of the trench and the underground complex. The view was three-dimensional and in full color. He waved his hand over another orb and rows of data appeared. With one hand, six of his fingers began tapping specific equations within the holo, changing their values. The last set of numbers blinked white then vanished.
“The instability of the planet’s electromagnetic field is interfering with holo function,” he said. “However, I have shut down the Xeon Diffusers. I have also contacted the Quasar and several teams are on their way down with terra emulation modules called Deltrons. Unfortunately, the planet will implode in less than forty minutes. That may not be enough time to assemble the Deltrons. I am going to authorize a teleport of you to the Quasar.”
“No,” Rina said firmly. “I’m not leaving until the planet is safe.”
“My lady,” said Marante, turning to her, “you must go. I cannot allow your sacrifice—”
She interrupted. “I know how much you care, but this is my life and my world and I will not leave until I know it’s safe.”
Marante’s eyes scrunched into black slits. “You are as stubborn as Kalin,” he said, then faced the holo again.
A deafening roar resonated and the chamber shook violently. She grabbed Marante and pulled him beneath the table. Massive boulders fell from above, pounding the floor and rolling. Explosions and black smoke filled the cavern. In front and to their right, part of the wall gave way, crumbling to the floor.
She squeezed Marante’s hand. “This may be it.”
The quaking slowed to a steady tremble. Marante peeked out.
“It is safe, come.”
Rina stared in awe, watching Marante lift himself out from the crunched position. His legs bent not only at the knee but also at mid-thigh and mid-calf. He had four joints on each leg, not including his hips.
Why didn’t I notice this before? thought Rina.
His hand reached down for her. “Come, my lady.”
She took his hand and he lifted her. “I also have two more joints in each arm,” he said, spreading his arms out sideways and bending them inward, forming a perfect square.
“You are the coolest dude,” she said, wondering what else an x-ray would reveal.
His eyes scanned the room. “I will check on the Deltrons’ progress. If the implosion occurs before the units are assembled, we will also lose the lives of our people who are assembling them.”
When Rina turned around, she gasped. The whole back half of the cavern had caved in. Only the table remained in the center and, thank goodness, the entrance behind her was still open. The constant quiver beneath her feet told her the implosion was sooner than thirty minutes away.
“There are Earth-humans in a jail down here that need saving,” she said.
“Yes, I see,” said Marante, his eyes fixed on the holo. “Unfortunately, we lack the time. The implosion has moved up; only fifteen minutes remain. Some will have to be expended. I will order your teleport.”
“No way,” said Rina. “They go now.”
“Why are you being so stubborn?” asked Marante, his voice up an octave. “With this barely functioning equipment, only three can teleport at a time. Not all will survive. I cannot and will not allow your death.”
“Marante,” she said, caringly, “these people didn’t ask for this. They’ve suffered enough just being down here and watching their friends die. I could never live with myself if I allowed their sacrifice. They get teleported. Do it now.”
“Do not order me,” he said. “You are not my Captain.”
She was about to retort when five Oridians entered the Command Center. The hunched beasts grunted, gazing about.
“We’ve got company,” said Rina, watching the animals sniff the air.
Marante glanced at the Oridians. “They cannot see us. I must concentrate.” He returned to the holo.
“They’re looking right at us,” said Rina, not taking her eyes off the creatures. “I think we need to worry.”
The monsters were nearing. She could smell their dung-like odor.
“It may seem they are alert to our presence but they are not,” said Marante, keeping his attention on the holo. “Pay no mind to them.”
“You said the electromagnetic field of the planet was interfering with the holo. Could it be interfering with our NBs?”
Marante quickly straightened up. He waved his hand through the holo.
“Oh, dear,” he said, touching his bloody head. “The NBs are not blocking the scent of blood. We have a problem.”
“Yeah,” said Rina. “Five of them. I have a bleeding cut on the corner of my mouth.”
“I must separate from you,” said Marante. “More of my blood is exposed.”
He slipped off his black tunic and wrapped it around his head.
“I’ll handle this, ” she said, “you stop the implosion or we’re all dead.”
Marante nodded and reseated. Lying on the floor fifteen feet away was a Barra. She laid on her stomach and started belly crawling towards the gun. The beasts were nearing Marante when they stopped and smelled the air again.
Their eyes focused on the Barra lying just out of her reach. She pulled out the hem of her red T-shirt from her jean shorts and pressed it to the slit on her lip. The metal floor was cold and she stifled a loud shiver. The ape-like animals unknowingly surrounded her, closing in. She couldn’t let them touch her, so she scrunched up her body into a ball.
I hope Marante is working fast, she thought.
The largest of the Oridians stood two inches from her face and she almost barfed. The stench of feces was overpowering. Four black toes on each foot hosted claw-like nails six to eight inches long, and each was tapping the floor. Thick, callous soles padded the monster’s feet. Her eyes squinted to examine its gray leathery skin, which was composed of thousands of minute scales.
They’re reptiles, she thought. I wish I had time to study this thing.
Shiro was right. She was a scientist no matter what the danger. The animal before her made several whooping sounds, startling her. She swore her heart stopped pumping. The other beasts gathered behind the big one.
The Oridian stepped back and lowered its head to the floor, stretching its neck and elongated jaw forward. The creature’s eyes seemed to be riveted on hers. It snarled with quivering lips and long, sharp teeth. The monster sniffed the ground
near her face, then raised its head and was ready to lower it down on hers when a shrill came from outside the cavern. The beast swiftly cocked its head towards the entrance. Blobs of warm, thick saliva dripped on her face and hair, sliding down her cheek toward her mouth. Vomit rose into her throat.
“Get away from her,” said Marante, standing with a Barra. His NB was on the table. The Oridians roared and charged. Marante fired several shots and the animals burst into clouds of yellow dust. He placed the Barra on the table and continued his adjustments of the holo.
Rina got on her hands and knees, spitting. “This is gross,” she said, swiping at the sticky saliva that refused to come off. “This stuff is like glue.” Her hands slipped to a rough tremor and she almost banged her face on the floor.
“Nine Earth-humans have been teleported, but you must be next, my lady. Implosion will occur in two minutes; you must teleport now or die.”
“Show me how to work the holo and you go,” she said, standing up. “I’ll stay and make sure they all get teleported.”
“I cannot believe this!” he said angrily. “You are acting like Kalin, with no sensibility. I will not leave you here to die.” He focused on the holo. “Three more have teleported. One minute.
Unless a miracle happens, we are not making it out alive.”
“Marante,” she said softly, “I don’t want you to die with me. You’re brilliant and this universe will suffer without you. Please, I’m begging, teleport yourself now.”
“I can be stubborn too,” he said, “and it will be a cold day under the suns when I will leave a lady to die alone. No, I will stay, and do not think you can change my mind. As Earth-humans say, give it up.”
“You are so pig-headed!” she said. I need another angle. “Do you think we’ll feel any pain? I wonder if your life flashes across your mind before you die?”
Marante was shaking his head as if disgusted. “No, we will not feel any pain, and yes, your life flashes across your mind. Must you be so pessimistic? You really have no fear of death, do you?”
Death isn’t scary; she thought, it’s just part of life.
“My only regret is not being able to say goodbye to my father,” she said.
“I see,” said Marante. “My only regret is that you are here with me. I wish you were safe somewhere else.”
Suddenly, the ground began to shake wildly. Marante tumbled off the seat and rolled beneath the table. Rina stumbled to the floor and Marante pulled her to him.
“The end has begun, my lady!” he shouted over the loud roar.
Rina felt tears flooding her eyes; she missed her father already. Marante wrapped both his long arms around her and squeezed. Visions of pale sandy beaches with sparkling white-leaved palm trees and serene blue oceans filled her mind. Dominating the teal opaque sky, three giant silver-gray planets with multi-colored rings rotated on their axes; one was as large as Jupiter.
What is this place? she asked herself.
It is my home world, Chaslea, answered Marante in her mind. I thought you would like to see it.
A giant boulder slammed on the ground in front of them and they screamed, jerking back. Another crashed on top of it, cracking the two in half. From the sidewall, a fissure the size of a car began spiking towards them.
Good-bye, my lady, said Marante, I am sorry I could not protect you.
He hugged her again, burying her face into his chest.