Earthrise: Books 1-3 by Daniel Arenson

Author:Daniel Arenson [Arenson, Daniel]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: Moonclipse
Published: 2017-05-08T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWELVE

Dawn rose red and cold like a corpse in snow. They gathered outside the warehouse in a canyon of gray bricks and black metal. Indrani loomed above. This morning, the gas giant revealed part of the true sky, pale gray and veiled in clouds. Marco stood with his squad, rifle in hand, grenades and magazines hanging from his belt. The company spread along the narrow road. Ahead, Captain Petty stood atop a cold generator. Behind her loomed a great black ouroboros painted onto the warehouse wall. Metal words were bolted into the bricks above the snake: Chrysopoeia Corp. Paving our way to the stars.

"Last night," Captain Petty said, "we lost five soldiers. Today I want you to remain in units no smaller than your squads. Never stray out alone, not even to take a piss. Keep your eyes open for anything—and anyone—suspicious. The instant you notice anything amiss, even if it's just a shiver down your spine, report to your squad leader."

The soldiers looked at one another. By now everyone had heard the rumors of a saboteur on the Miyari. And it seemed like everyone had a favorite suspect. A few soldiers were staring at Osiris and muttering about artificial life. Some mumbled about the earthlings. A few soldiers were even looking at Marco. He stared back at them, defiant.

Captain Petty kept speaking. "We'll leave three soldiers in the city to keep searching for the missing. The rest of us travel into the mines today. The mines delve deep underground; Osiris has a map in her memory banks. We'll seek surviving colonists, and more importantly: a new azoth engine." She held out the shattered azoth heart from the Miyari. "We seek an object that looks like this: a metal heart with a crystal inside. One should be located at the lowest level of the mines, powering the entire city. If we can find a new azoth heart in the mines, we can fix the Miyari. We can go home. Whoever finds the heart will receive an instant promotion."

Addy gasped. "I'm going to be a lieutenant!" she whispered to Marco.

Marco groaned. "She said a promotion, not a commission. You'd be a corporal, not an officer. Even Sergeant Stumpy will still outrank you." Marco knelt to pat the Boston Terrier, the new mascot of their platoon. The dog wagged his stump of a tail.

"So I better find two azoth hearts," Addy said. "Maybe they'll make me a captain like the Chihuahua."

The company traveled through the city under the red light, finally reaching a stone gateway shaped like a coiling snake. Past the gateway Marco saw stairs plunging underground into shadows.

"Chrysopoeia Corp," Marco muttered. "Paving our way to purgatory."

"Chrysopoeia Corp," Addy said. "Opening the gates to Hell since 2047."

"Chrysopoeia Corp," Elvis said, walking up to join them. "We bake snakes so delicious they eat themselves."

Lieutenant Ben-Ari approached them, and her soldiers gathered around her. "Ravens Platoon, we take the vanguard," Ben-Ari said. "Snap your flashlights onto your helmets. I want both your hands ready to fire your guns.

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