Starship Guardian by Tripp Ellis

Author:Tripp Ellis [Ellis, Tripp]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: military, SF
Publisher: self-published
Published: 2016-09-24T23:00:00+00:00

21

New Earth

The hot thick air slapped Presley in the face like a moldy dishrag as she climbed down into the sewer. Her face crinkled up at the horrid stench. She descended the grimy rungs embedded into the concrete and dropped down to the landing below.

A torrent of water rushed through the drain. A narrow ledge ran along both sides of the canal. The arched ceiling of the passageway was constructed of intricate brickwork. The walls were covered with slime. Bugs and creepy crawly critters scampered about. It sent a shiver down Presley’s spine. She wasn’t one of those girls that totally freaks out at the sight of cockroaches, but they certainly weren’t her favorite thing in the world. The cockroaches on New Earth weren’t just repulsive—they were big too.

This part of the sewer was at least a hundred years old. There was a footprint cast in the concrete that was probably from one of the construction workers who built it. They were entering a part of the city that most people never saw. It was like stepping back into a time capsule.

Presley crept along the ledge. Stringy stalactites of slime hung from the ceiling. Presley tried to avoid them, but sometimes it was impossible. As disgusting as it was, at least there weren't any drones. At least, not yet.

Soon they came upon a fork in the passageway. The drain split into three tunnels.

“I hope you have a good sense of direction,” Levi said.

Presley chose the left tunnel, and the two kept marching along the ledge. They weaved through the labyrinth of passageways, but eventually, they ran out of ledge. They were going to have to wade through the muck.

“I don't even want to know what's in there," Levi said.

Presley cringed as she climbed down from the ledge into the water. She made sure to keep her weapon above the waterline. It was a Special Operations Command requirement that the RK 909s be fully functional after submersion in water. As advanced as the Decluvian weapon was, it was probably waterproof. But Presley didn't want to take a chance on a fragmented receiver. It wasn't uncommon for lesser weapons to have a catastrophic failure after submersion. Pull the charging handle and let the barrel drain, and you were usually good to go. But why take the chance? Getting a face full of shrapnel because the receiver exploded didn't sound appealing.

Presley trudged through the water. She felt something brushed past her calf. She didn't even want to know what it was. She just kept plodding along. "Do you take all the girls down into the sewer on the first date?"

“So, this is a date?"

“I haven’t decided yet,” Presley said with a sly smile.

“It would make an interesting story to tell our grandchildren.”

“Slow down, stud muffin. You haven’t even gotten to first base yet.”

“I haven’t really gotten an at bat yet.” He grinned.

Presley smirked and kept wading through the water.

She saw a set of rungs along the wall that led up to a grated storm drain at the street.

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