Chris Kennedy - Alabaster Noon

The sounds of misery were nonstop as the Besquith specialist team reached their objective: the roof of a five-story building which once housed several hundred Humans. Once in position, they verified none of the occupants remained, alive or otherwise, and began setting up monitoring equipment.

Filthy Humans, one of the sensor operators said, tossing a severed arm over the side of the building. Its spoiled. Team Leader Kreth, why didnt they just nuke the entire areathat would have destroyed the Raknar.

General Peepo wanted the machines intact and their operators alive, his squad leader reminded him for the dozenth time. Grawts wasnt the quickest on the uptake, but he did have a mastery of the finicky elSha-manufactured gear. Several others on the team growled their support of Grawts. Just shut up and finish deploying the sensors. We have nine more to place before dark.

The five-Besquith team went about their tasks, but Grawts wasnt satisfied. Okay, I understand preserving the war machines and operators. Peepo has them prisoner now. Why are we looking for the little creatures?

Do I look like a general? Kreth snarled and snapped at the back of Grawts neck. The hapless sensor tech rolled over and whined, so Kreth didnt rip his rotten throat out. Satisfied, Kreth turned back to look out over the remains of So Paulo.

The Human city, formerly one of the biggest, if what hed been told proved true, was largely in ruins. Seven Raknar assaulting the city, along with hundreds of Humans in their entropy-cursed powered armor tended to have that effect. Despite having massive defenses in place to hold the seat of occupation, the Raknar plowed into, and ultimately through, them. The damage was horrendous. Kreth approved.

He shielded his eyes from the setting sun to the west and could see the six surviving Raknar. Dozens of flyers flew around them as heavy equipment prepared to move them. Peepos prizes; he wondered what she intended for them.

The faked cease fire had worked perfectly, allowing forces to move in close to the Human mercs all over the planet before springing the trap. One Raknar was vaporized by orbital fire. Kreths unit had been just over a kilometer away, monitoring the mechas progress, when it happened. Theyd been flash-blinded by the orbital particle beam.

The last six went berserk, destroying indiscriminately and totally. They even destroyed the orbiting station from the ground! Kreth looked at the building, just one block awayhalf its height had been severed cleanly by a Raknar particle beam. Then, when heavy Zuul tanks prepared to attack, the Raknar had unleashed what appeared to be nuclear cannon, but much more compact and discrete in its damage.

Antimatter weapons, an elSha tech with the appropriate knowledge said after the fight. Even Kreth sucked in his breath at the idea. Such unbelievable firepower, and now it was theirs! He desperately wanted to finish this mission so they could move on to the next stage.

Come on, come on, he growled, I want to go to the Humans secret base. Oh, to see their end will be a glorious battle. The others grunted in agreement as they worked affixing the sensors. It was no secret the fleet was preparing to go on the final assault. Sure, lots of Humans were still fighting in places, but they wouldnt be fighting for long. What chance did they have? Arent you done yet? he snapped.

Yes, youre done, a tiny voice said in such perfect Besquith he thought it was a juvenile. Kreth turned, and his jaw fell open in surprise. A tiny furred creature just like hed been told to look for was framed in the doorway pointing at him.

Hey he said, then something slammed into his throat, and he fell backward, unable to control his body.

Ambush! one of his men cried.

Good, Kreth thought, struggling to breath. My men will deal with them. Lying on his back on the rubble strewn roof, he heard his men moving, grabbing weapons, and yelling, and then falling bodies. It was all over in two, maybe three, seconds. He exerted all his will and managed to turn his head. Five of the creatures were standing in the center of where his men had been working. None of the Besquith were alive, save himself. He tried to say something, but it came out as a gurgle.

One of the creatures dropped into a partial crouch, its head spinning to face him. One of its eyes was covered in a patch, and it had a cybernetic arm on the same side. The creature grunted and marched over to Kreth.

* * *

Be more thorough, Peanut, Dante snapped as he stabbed the Besquith through the eye, driving hard with his cybernetic arm to be sure the blade penetrated into its brain.

Sorry, sir, Peanut said.

Did any of them get a transmission off? Ryft asked, cleaning her knife.

No. They all glanced up at their leader. Splunk clung to the half-melted antenna above the roof where shed been watching the clumsy Besquith set up their instruments. She looked at her frequency scanner one more time to be sure. Nothing within a hundred meters. They werent even staying in contact with their command staff.

Stupid animals, Shadow said, putting away his long blade. Even the Kahraman would not have wasted their time with this lot.

They might be pathetic at tactics, but they are strong and numerous, Ryft pointed out.

Peanut, take their comms gear, Splunk ordered. Break into their network, and lets get some intel.

Peanut waved, and they piled the Besquith equipment at his feet. Like every Dusman whod come on the mission, they were all gifted in technology. However, among them, Peanut and Splunk were the most gifted. Since Splunk was in command, shed delegated the job. The other four moved to the edges of the roof to assume overwatch as soon as the bodies were stripped.

> Dante sent to her.

< I felt it, > Splunk sent back. For 170 hours they would have no contact with their agents within the retreating fleet. She tried to appear confident, despite her inner feelings of failure. Jim was there, only a few kilometers away. She could point to him, if shed wanted to. They all knew where their operators were, a side effect of the joining. It wasnt like the texts said it would be. Shed tried to explain it to Sly, but he hadnt believed her. Well, now he did.