Tales of the Hidden World by Simon R. Green

Author:Simon R. Green [Green, Simon R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781480491168
Amazon: 1480491160
Barnesnoble: 1480491160
Goodreads: 21509333
Publisher: Open Road Media
Published: 2014-07-07T22:00:00+00:00

We finally burst out of the jungle and there was Base Three, right before us. Reassuringly solid, rising tall and majestic into the blood-red sky, untouched by the world it had come to change forever. There was a shimmering on the air around it, from the force shield. It made the Base look subtly unreal, as though we’d fought all this way just to find a mirage. But the energies the field generated were more than enough to hold the plants back, and we stumbled across a wide-open perimeter to reach the Base. The force shield had been programmed to let us through, and we strode through the shimmering presence like walking through a sparkling waterfall, out of danger and into safety.

A few plants got through the force shield by clinging stubbornly to our armor. We quickly ripped them away, tearing them apart and then trampled them underfoot until the pieces stopped moving. Some of the larger growths clung to our armor as though they were glued there; so we all washed one another with our flamethrowers, just to be sure. We didn’t feel anything, inside the hard suits. When we were finished, we turned to face the main doors and found that gun barrels had appeared on either side of the doors, covering us. Possibly to assist us against invading plants, possibly to remind us that Base Three was ready to destroy any or all of us, should the need arise.

Because the armor made us too powerful to be trusted. And because everyone knew that if you weren’t crazy before they put you in the suit. . . .

The main doors slid smoothly open, and those of us who’d made it through the jungle stamped heavily forward into Base Three. Tracked by guns all the way. Once we were all inside, the doors closed very firmly behind us. Human lighting, and a human setting, seemed strangely pale and wan after the extreme conditions of the planet’s surface. The Base Commander’s voice came to us through overhead speakers. Like the ship’s Captain, he was just a memory deposit imprinted on the Base’s AI. I doubted he was as happy about it as the Captain had been.

“Welcome to Base Three.” A very male, very authoritative voice. Military to the core. Presumably intended to be the kind of voice we’d accept orders from. “Welcome to Abaddon. None of you can leave until the job here is completed. I have been assured that once the terraforming equipment has been assembled and tested, you will all be picked up and sent . . . somewhere more pleasant. You can believe that or not, as you please. I see nine of you. How many left the ship?”

“There were twelve of us,” I said. “Three of us died just getting here.”

“Get used to it,” said the Base Commander. “Nine out of twelve is a lot better than the last crew they sent.”

“How many crews have there been before us?” said One.

“That’s classified,” said the Commander. “But learn the lesson well.

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