The recognizable sounds of human laughter and Killian echoed from ahead and I quietly pulled the hammer back on the Blitzer again. Now that I could see a light at the end of the tunnel, it was taking all of my remaining control to myself from doing something stupid. Anger and anxiety were about running equal and I squeezed the Blitzer's grip for strength.
The hall widened to about ten feet apart and branched out through what had become a war zone. The air was thick with cordite and smoke and wet sections of the ceiling that looked like shredded meat hung down, brushing against me as I navigated the floor. There were bodies everywhere and I anxiously checked the face of every one I stepped over, both relieved and alarmed that Gael and Angus weren't amongst them. They were a mix of Ebons and Interceptors, blasted apart by heavy weapons fire and I realized that this might mean more WW vets ahead of us. At this point though, I didn't have a choice but to keep going.
"Hey boss," someone said from ahead and the weird acoustics bounced it around. "I think I heard something."
There was more chatter across my mike and then someone yelled from ahead.
"Hey, Cole. Get the lead out and let's get it on!"
"How does he know your name?" Casper asked and I glared at her to shut her up. If she hadn't been listening to her mike earlier, she'd have to figure it out on her own. I motioned to the duo to take the right side and they crossed over with the grace of a drugged out Chagrin in a china shop. The reaction from ahead left absolutely no doubt that the other side had heard them. Sighting down the corridor, I placed my steps carefully and waited for someone to step out.
"Come on out Cole," the voice continued. "Let's settle this mano-a-mano, eh?"
We were going to settle this all right, but it was going to be on my terms. I carefully looked at each of the Interceptor bodies in a hope for grenades, but they had been stripped of everything except body armor. So much for clearing them out all at once.
"Guess I'll have to improvise," I thought to myself as I ducked under a heavy outcrop. Behind me, Obie growled in irritation as he forced his way through the same hanging debris and I saw how much more difficult it was for him. He had been shuffling along in a low crouch and barely making it, but at least the ceiling ahead was higher. I'd take it as a blessing that some things were improving.
I caught sight of the Ebon's face and it looked like he had aged forty years since we entered the corridor. He probably hadn't seen so much death before and it didn't help that he probably knew some of the victims.
"Keep moving Theo and be quiet unless you want to join them," I prodded. As long as he could lead us right to the Dark Night team, I wasn't concerned what he was feeling. A quick glance to the side told me that the other two weren't having any moral problems with the death around them either.
Just as I was stepping across the corpse of another Interceptor, a low rumble started in the distance. I stopped and listened, feeling the noise as much as hearing it as it got louder around me. It was traveling through the walls and the floor and I looked at Theo, whose chin had nearly dropped onto his chest.
"Theo, what in hell is happ-" I started.
The floor under my feet bucked, tossing me against the wall as the sides of the corridor flexed like a blood vessel in a heart attack. Obie, the Ebon, and myself were thrown into the pile of corpses and the world shook and trembled as the light flickered out. Someone screamed near me and the corridor ahead of us pinched shut with a groan. I was fighting for air against the weight coming down on me, but then it was over. The lights came on and the corridor expanded again. With a start, I found I was sitting on Obie and got up. Thank God it hadn't been the other way around.
"Is everyone okay?" I asked as I found the Ebon and tried to pull him to his feet. He was kneeling and holding onto one of the bodies with a look of horror on his face. Anything that might have resembled arrogance or bravery was gone as he bawled and I felt a dull pressure in my chest that would have been sympathy a day ago. The realization of what might have caused the disturbance turned my anger to ice and I clasped my mike back to my ear.
"K'rth," I asked. "What's your status?"
The few moments of relative silence felt like hours and the answer came back just before I asked again. There was a lot of static when the Shaktar's voice cut in and I let out my breath.
"Alex," he said. "We are alive, but there is some collateral damage."
"Collateral dam-. What do you mean collateral damage?" I stammered. Was this ship tough enough to only take 'collateral' damage from that a nuke?
"The primary weapon was not prepared to detonate, but secondary charges did and the hull has been breached."
"You're okay?" I asked again, hoping that they were both still breathing.
"Yes and we are on our way to you."
"Did you space im?" The Chagrin asked in his innocent voice again. Obie had dug himself and the duo out without any problems and was standing beside me again.
"Yes," came the answer. "K'rth out."
I closed my eyes for a moment and tried to relax my neck. With the main threat out of the way, we only had to concern ourselves with Bayer and his crew. Things had suddenly become much easier.
"Obie, do you see my-" I said as I turned around looking for my Blitzer. In the tumble, I had dropped it, but a big hand came over my shoulder and gave it back. "Thanks big guy," I said as I went back to the Ebon.
"Get on your feet," I ordered, but he didn't respond. His shoulders were shaking as he held onto what had been a girlfriend or sister and I wiped the sweat from my face. "Get on your feet. Now."
I might as well have been ordering one of the bodies, because there wasn't any response. That brought the anger back and I grabbed him by the collar and pulled up. "GET ON YOUR FEET NOW!"
This time, Theopolus came to his feet and what I saw in his eyes sapped my anger. They were wide and his face was strained in rage as he threw my arm off him. Any fear he had of me or my pistol was gone and he had finally snapped.
"OR WHAT?" he shrieked. "YOU'LL KILL ME? GO AHEAD! GO AHEAD AND DO IT!"
I could only stare as he went on his tirade. Instead of me grabbing him to drag him along, he grabbed my jacket and shook me for emphasis.
"This is YOUR fault!" he continued. "All of THIS is because of YOUR KIND! YOU brought this war here and it's YOUR FAULT! KILL ME! GO AHEAD! DO IT IF YOU-Hmmmfffffff."
I shut him up by hitting him in the solar plexus with a low punch and he buckled over. Carefully catching him as he went down, I turned him and slammed him by the breastbone against the wall.
"Look, Theo," I said, since I seemed to have his attention. "You've just lost someone and you're upset. Well fine, so have I."
The Ebon I had pushed around earlier was returning and Theopolus began to lower his head. It was better if he was angry and if he were strong, so I pulled him away from the wall and shoved him back and his eyes came back up. I still had his attention and he was pissed again.
"Unless you want your 'Navigator Prime' to die too," I yelled. "YOU NEED TO BUCKLE UP AND GIVE ME YOUR HELP!"
At that, I let go of him and he stood up looking tall and angry. What he was feeling had given him enough strength to meet my eyes, but there was no telling how long it would last before he turned into a lamb again. Before I could say anything else, he stomped past me and picked up a flintlock from one of the bodies.
"You know how to use that?" McNeil asked and the Ebon spat his answer at me instead.
"Every Ebon on a military craft does. Surprised?"
Obie's face showed that he was as taken aback as I was, but when the Ebon started marching forward I went after him.
"Think with your brain instead of your balls," I said as I grabbed his arm. "You don't stand a chance if you get stupid."
"So what? I want to kill them!" he yelled again. The tone of his voice had gradually risen to the point of hurting my ears again and I winced.
"Lead us to them and then follow my lead," I answered, keeping my voice low so that he might do the same. "Let's move."
Theopolus accepted what I said, or at least appeared to as he carefully stepped over the bodies of his shipmates. He avoided looking down and the anger kept him walking, but it was probably only a matter of time before he did something stupid.
Between what I was feeling and what resentment I had for him, it was kind of amazing that I was determined to prevent that.
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