Chapter 8. Survivors

Krenyo, Impy and Benu looked round the room, surveying the devastation. They had gained access to the upper level of one of the outposts control towers. Datascreens were smashed, panels ripped away leaving the inner workings exposed and disturbingly, blood had dried in many areas.

“Is that stuff safe to touch?” asked Krenyo, looking over to Impy.

“I’m not sure,” he answered shrugging his shoulders, “if it’s dried, maybe the virus got killed off.”

“Ok, Benu, its your call. I want you to try and hack in to one of those terminals, see what you can find.”

The younger member paused for a second, contemplating the possible effects of becoming infected by some obscure disease that may have claimed his other squad mates. Without replying he removed a portable datapad from a pocket and set about trying to interface with the broken equipment.

“If this thing is as bad as Impy says, just shoot me if I start showing any symptoms.”

“I will.” Answered Impy, already pulling his weapon round ready to bear down on Benu, “I told you, once you get infected you’re not the same person anymore. It’s not personal.”

Krenyo gazed out of the outposts window as Benu continued working behind him, lit only by the soft glow of the datapads tiny screen. The two T1-B’s that remained with them had taken advance positions on the road ahead, above loomed the cliffs where the massive sensor dish could just be made out against the night sky. The two tanks were turning their formidable laser turrets from left to right, scanning for approaching Imperials, or whatever else may try to come for them. Something caught his eye and he glanced back towards it. There it was again!

A small light flashed once or twice from far above the cliff tops, Krenyo judged it to be the sensor stations control room. “Impy, these infected, how smart are they?”

“Dunno, didn’t really get told much about them. Someone said they could use weapons though. Why do you ask?”

“I think there’s someone up there, look. Wait, it’s gone.”

“Got it!” exclaimed Ben, rapidly punching more commands in to the pad. “Ok boss, what do you want to know?”

Krenyo crouched down behind him to get a glimpse of the screen, “How many people were here, and see if you can find anything on this disease.”

Benu, entered the information and waited. “Personnel, 250. Doesn’t sound a lot but they probably kept it to engineers, commanders and a guard contingent until it came online. I’ll try and access sick bay records.”

“Boss, we ain’t alone.” Interrupted Impy, pointing to another terminal, “Someone wants to say hi.”

Krenyo looked over and paused, “Infected?”

Impy shook his head, “They don’t talk, not in any way we’d understand anyway. They just do that howling thing and grunt, maybe it’s some way of communicating but I never heard anything about them using a com system.”

“Benu, can you get it working?”

“Sure, just need to transfer the network paths. That should do it.” He pressed a button and the pads tiny speaker squawked.

“….requesting assistance, is anyone there?”

“Who is this?” Krenyo asked.

“Commander Tarketh, we’re trapped here and need immediate evacuation by air. We explicitly said ground forces should not be sent in our emergency communiqué.”

“Well Commander, we didn’t receive any communication from you. My name is Krenyo, I am a member of the Alliance to Restore the Republic and I’m here to destroy your sensor dish.”

“Very well,” came the reply drily, “I have no interest in any kind of conflict with you Krenyo. Let me explain briefly what has happened here. There are eight of us trapped at the control room on top of the facility. Everyone else here has been affected by a disease, one that you really do not wish to experience. We have sent requests for help but have no way to know if they have been received. I would appreciate it if you could rescue us. Now.”

The three rebels looked at one another, although expecting something like this it still came as a shock to hear the Imperial asking for their assistance.

“Commander, what can you tell us about this disease?” asked Krenyo, seizing the opportunity to get as much information as possible.

“You have already accessed our computers, look for Blackwing. That is the name of the virus. I should warn you gentlemen, there really is not much time. Return to your ships and pick us up.”

Krenyo shook his head as he addressed the com again, “I can’t do that Tarketh, this could still be a trap. We have some T1-B’s here and we’ll use those to secure the compound before getting you out.”

Tarketh cursed at him down the com before resuming the conversation, “You don’t have long and this is no trap. At least, not on our part, I can’t speak for them.”

“Krenyo, I got it.” Said Benu, holding up a second data pad, “everything they have on this Blackwing virus.”

The Rebel leader nodded and turned back to his com channel, “Ok Tarketh, we have your information and we’ll be there shortly.”

Without waiting for a reply he powered down the unit and tossed it back to Benu. “Ok, hand me the Blackwing stuff, we can read it on the way up. Impy, you still ok?”

“Yeah, sure thing boss.”  He answered, though still not sounding himself, “Lets just get this one over with and get off this rock.”

One of the T1-B’s opened fire, quickly followed by the other. The sound of the two twin barrelled laser turrets echoed off the cliffs, deafening the three men in the turret. Ben had to shout to make himself heard, “WHAT IS IT?”

Impy shook his head and ran to the window, the flashes of red light from the tanks lit the area up like a flash of lightening. Scores of them streamed towards their position from over the cliffs and a nearby cave. Some wore pieces of Stormtrooper armour, others the uniform of imperial officers. Imperial knew immediately what they were and merely pointed at them. Benu and Krenyo joined him by the window and gazed in astonishment.

Laser bolts tore through bodies, gouging out flesh, tearing away limbs and sending the unlucky victim hurtling backwards, yet time and again they picked themselves up and moved on. Some pulled themselves forward using their arms, legs torn away or twisted in some grotesque manner. Despite their firepower, the T1-Bs were forced to move backwards to stop the creatures reaching them. The lead tank lowered its rocket pod and fired a salvo, clearing a swathe through the creatures. The triple explosion hurled bodies through the air and sent shrapnel tearing through others, cutting them down in their relentless push.

The haunting, spine tingling scream echoed from the cliffs once more. The rebels watched as the former Imperials before them joined in, before turning and moving back towards the station.

“They’re going to wait for us.” said Imperial. “They’ll wait up there until we can’t use the tanks then attack.”

“Krenyo, maybe we should bring the Gallofree’s up,” said Ben, “do like that Imp officer said and go for an aerial rescue.”

The squad leader shook his head and looked down, “That would leave that sensor dish still up. The mission still needs to be completed.”

“It isn’t a sensor station.” answered Benu, “The dish doesn’t work, its just a cover. They’ve been working with this Blackwing virus since day one. Read the files, it’s all in there.”

Krenyo flicked on the datapad Benu had given him earlier. The tiny screen flickered on and bathed their faces in a pale gloomy blue as the three men leaned forward towards it.

Bite my shiny metal Tie Fighter!