Breakers of the Dawn by Zachariah Wahrer

Author:Zachariah Wahrer [Wahrer, Zachariah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Artificial Intelligence, Genetic Engineering, Metaphysical, clones, nanotech, starship, space war, Colonization, Psychics
Amazon: B00QKWMPCS
Publisher: Wahrer of the Worlds
Published: 2014-12-03T05:00:00+00:00

24 - Felar

Darkness. Felar couldn't hear anything over the sound of her thudding heart and ragged breathing. Terror writhed within her. Have to slow down, have to get control, she thought. Remember your training and your experience. None of her past combat had been anything like this. She focused on controlling her breath, which in turn calmed her heart rate.

Felar took stock of her situation, both assets and liabilities. She couldn't see anything in the darkness, but the acoustics told her she was in a small room, perhaps an office or utility closet. That door is definitely a problem. It had felt flimsy when she’d entered. Those things won't have a problem breaking through. Felar hoped perhaps, in all the chaos, she had slipped away from the attackers.

In the way of assets, she had little. Her whole squad was dead. Felar had lost her primary weapon—boy, would her instructors have blighthearted her for that back in Dog—leaving her with a semi-automatic rail pistol. She also had a few illum sticks, combat short swords, and a small amount of the special explosive. When listed, it sounded like a lot, but Felar knew it was a weak set of tools to fight those things out in the corridors.

Everything about the current situation was a liability. She was pitted against a foe she knew almost nothing about, and those things had easily obliterated everyone but her. She now had no backup whatsoever. How, in the fires of the dark star, am I supposed to extract myself from this place? It seemed impossible.

The carnage, gore, and death of her squad was burned indelibly into Felar’s memory. We should have buggered out when they attacked at the lift exit, when we still had the chance. “Keep your fields of fire tight,” Felar had ordered after they’d repelled the first wave of things. Everything within her told her she needed to go back, had to retreat. FCs don't retreat. FCs complete the mission. So they ventured further into the facility, and the blackest fires of the dark star broke loose.

“We're flanked,” Shanbek shouted. “What are these things?!”

“More attackers inbound from my sector,” Malen reported.

“Full defensive posture,” Felar ordered. “Fire when ready.”

And they did just that, Malen's multi-barrel mowing down the creatures as Unthar guarded his back. But the monstrosities were too fast, too agile, and far too smart. A minute into the battle, they changed tactics. Instead of full-frontal assault, they started focusing on short hit-and-run attacks. They darted in and out of corridors and rooms until Malen's gun ran out of ammo. Then they reverted to full assault, overrunning Felar and her squad.

Felar shook her head, trying to forget what had happened next. It was too much to process right now. She had to focus on saving herself. Regret, guilt, and remorse could come later.

Control yourself, Felar thought, pushing the memories out of her mind. She had to embrace the mental state they’d taught in Dog School. Isolate yourself from fear, agony, and hopelessness. Embrace the now.

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