The Celaran Solution (Parker Interstellar Travels Book 9) by Michael McCloskey

Author:Michael McCloskey [McCloskey, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, azw3
Publisher: Squidlord LLC
Published: 2017-04-03T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

The sapphire monstrosity’s legs pumped unnaturally, bringing it toward them, though by a route Arakaki could not figure through the maze of transparent walls. She accessed the tactical. Fortunately, the attendants had been able to make sense of what they saw through the reflections and refractions to create a map of the passageways at least forty meters around them.

A bluish light flickered through the area. Laser-sharp lines danced across the clear walls where it passed through. The light settled on Siobhan.

“What is that?” she asked, crouching low.

Arakaki traced the alien machine’s course and projected it forward.

That will bring it in direct line of sight in just a couple of seconds...

Arakaki turned to bring the machine into her weapon’s firing arc, but the thing had already turned the corner.

Hisssss... Crack!

The world flashed brightly, then Siobhan no longer stood next to her.

“Siobhan!” yelled Caden.

To Arakaki, it was as if they had been training in a VR sim and Siobhan had simply pulled out of the exercise.

Arakaki activated her weapon.

BlamBlamBlam!

The rounds seemed to have no effect. The blue light shot out again, searching for her. She rolled aside, around a glassy corner, found her feet, and kept moving.

“Don’t let it find you! I’ll stall it!” Telisa9 told them.

How is she going to do that?

Arakaki did not waste time wondering. In the next instant, she had a plan.

I need to get around behind it. Maybe if it’s focused on them, I can hurt it.

Arakaki only half-believed in her own plan. She knew anything as advanced as a Trilisk machine would likely be aware of everything on the battlefield in all directions for kilometers. But it had proved invulnerable thus far, and she had no better choices.

Arakaki ran around another corner, trying to use the attendant-provided tac map to find a good flanking course. Caden’s echoform remained in place. The blue light swept over his position, but he had found a hiding spot behind a large opaque cube.

“Get it together!” Arakaki sent him.

“I’m going to kill that thing and whoever built it!” he vowed.

“Use your breaker claw. I’m not sure Siobhan got a chance to activate hers,” Arakaki told him.

Caden’s echoform started to move again. Arakaki’s first instinct was to remain separated, but then she had another idea. If they could not destroy that machine, maybe one of them could at least get out alive to warn the others.

She used the tactical to find a route to take her closer. She ran down one mostly glass-walled hall and through a room filled with oval pods secured atop thick black stands. The pods were opaque and provided her some cover from the sweeping blue lines. She moved to the far side of the room and looked out the exit.

Just ahead was a smooth ten-degree ramp. Arakaki noticed it was not transparent like most of the nearby walls and floor; it looked like a series of flat copper plates resembling the underside of a brightly colored snake.

Here’s to hoping that coloration doesn’t mean something bad.

Arakaki charged up the ramp.

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