Defenders of the Rim: Reconciliation (Far Future Book 8) by Randal Sloan

Author:Randal Sloan [Sloan, Randal]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: NVison Books
Published: 2024-07-27T00:00:00+00:00

“Our plans tell us the AI core is inside this section of the complex,” Arbid said. As he’d warned, the way ahead was much too small for the APC, so they had to abandon it for the rest of the trip in. The Master Sergeant left a couple of Marines to guard it, with the remainder joining the team going inside. In their mission plans, based on Arbid’s information, they’d planned for this eventuality with the small powered cart they’d pulled behind the APC. Despite their misgivings, they loaded up.

Andy and the Master Sergeant set up portable shield units they brought with them for this very purpose. Nowhere as powerful as those of the APC, they were all they had. Hopefully, they would be enough.

“I feel the same way as you guys about the situation,” Jarna said as they finished their task. “This is not as good as the APC, but with the shields it will have to do. Better than being on foot.”

“No, I don’t like it either,” Arbid said. “But I won’t complain. It’s the best we can do to complete the mission, and we have to get it done. Still, I wish we could have found something better.”

“Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth,” Andy told him. He really wasn’t pleased with the situation himself, but by this point, he accepted it as necessary. That one completely confused Arbid, bringing a smile to Andy’s face. He loved to tease his friend and using the human idioms was one of the best ways to do it.

Unfortunately for Andy, Kaeden came to Arbid’s rescue. “Basically means take what you can get,” he said. “Without looking at it too closely.”

“That I understand,” Arbid said with a laugh. Sometimes, the humans were just crazy. Just say what you mean.

While they were talking, they reached a set of barricades at the end of the short hallway. A security checkpoint, the first of several challenges they expected to face. When the base was active, soldiers would have been stationed here. In the deserted base, of course, no one was there, but as Arbid warned them, he still needed to enter the security code. They waited with bated breath as he transmitted the codes. No one wanted to have to fight their way in as well as out. Would he set off the alarm?

Fortunately, his codes seemed to work with no problem. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

“We’re lucky,” Arbid said as he drove their cart forward once more. At least the checkpoint was large enough to allow the cart. “If the ground on this planet wasn’t so horribly frozen, the computer core would be several floors underground and we would need to take a lift. With this base, they didn’t want to take the time to dig down through that frozen mess. For that reason, the core we’re looking for should be on this level.”

“Perfect,” Andy said. “At least we won’t have to fight our way back up inside an elevator, or need to climb a something like a ladder while under fire.

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