***
As Rina and Marante hurried down the tunnel, wails of death sent chills up Rina’s spine. Marante stumbled and Rina grabbed him before he hit the ground. He was surprisingly light in weight. She stood him up and leaned him against the wall.
“You stay here,” she said. “I’ll stop the dredging.”
“You are not familiar with the systems,” said Marante, pushing her on. “Let us go.”
The ground shook hard, the rumble deafening. The two staggered out of the way of the stones and boulders falling from above. From down the tunnel, a wave of lava broke through the ceiling.
“We must hurry!” said Marante, who strained to stand. Rina wrapped Marante’s arm around her shoulder. “Let’s go!”
They reached the unguarded doors of the Command Center when the quaking stopped.
“This place is going to go at any moment,” she said, looking about.
“It seems the Oridians had a glorious day,” said Marante.
Several Barras, puddles of white blood, and severed Zorcon body parts littered the gray Hitan floor. The sight of the shredded carnage made her sick. She counted fourteen small mounds of brown dirt. Numerous blast holes pitted the black rock. A dead Oridian lay beside the entrance.
Hundreds of NBs embedded the walls and ceiling, all with their red lights off. Around the oval cavern, dark blue consoles containing colorful orbs took up the space. In the center of the room was a flat round table sitting on a platform with orbs along its edge.
Marante went to the center table. He waved his hand over a blue orb and a huge hologram rose up from the middle of the table, displaying the inside of the trench and the underground complex. The view was three-dimensional and in full color. He waved his hand over another orb and rows of data appeared. With one hand, six of his fingers began tapping specific equations within the holo, changing their values. The last set of numbers blinked white then vanished.
“The instability of the planet’s electromagnetic field is interfering with holo function,” he said. “However, I have shut down the Xeon Diffusers. I have also contacted the Quasar and several teams are on their way down with terra emulation modules called Deltrons. Unfortunately, the planet will implode in less than forty minutes. That may not be enough time to assemble the Deltrons. I am going to authorize a teleport of you to the Quasar.”
“No,” Rina said firmly. “I’m not leaving until the planet is safe.”
“My lady,” said Marante, turning to her, “you must go. I cannot allow your sacrifice—”
She interrupted. “I know how much you care, but this is my life and my world and I will not leave until I know it’s safe.”
Marante’s eyes scrunched into black slits. “You are as stubborn as Kalin,” he said, then faced the holo again.
A deafening roar resonated and the chamber shook violently. She grabbed Marante and pulled him beneath the table. Massive boulders fell from above, pounding the floor and rolling. Explosions and black smoke filled the cavern. In front and to their right, part of the wall gave way, crumbling to the floor.
She squeezed Marante’s hand. “This may be it.”
The quaking slowed to a steady tremble. Marante peeked out.
“It is safe, come.”
Rina stared in awe, watching Marante lift himself out from the crunched position. His legs bent not only at the knee but also at mid-thigh and mid-calf. He had four joints on each leg, not including his hips.
Why didn’t I notice this before? thought Rina.
His hand reached down for her. “Come, my lady.”
She took his hand and he lifted her. “I also have two more joints in each arm,” he said, spreading his arms out sideways and bending them inward, forming a perfect square.
“You are the coolest dude,” she said, wondering what else an x-ray would reveal.
His eyes scanned the room. “I will check on the Deltrons’ progress. If the implosion occurs before the units are assembled, we will also lose the lives of our people who are assembling them.”
When Rina turned around, she gasped. The whole back half of the cavern had caved in. Only the table remained in the center and, thank goodness, the entrance behind her was still open. The constant quiver beneath her feet told her the implosion was sooner than thirty minutes away.
“There are Earth-humans in a jail down here that need saving,” she said.
“Yes, I see,” said Marante, his eyes fixed on the holo. “Unfortunately, we lack the time. The implosion has moved up; only fifteen minutes remain. Some will have to be expended. I will order your teleport.”
“No way,” said Rina. “They go now.”
“Why are you being so stubborn?” asked Marante, his voice up an octave. “With this barely functioning equipment, only three can teleport at a time. Not all will survive. I cannot and will not allow your death.”
“Marante,” she said, caringly, “these people didn’t ask for this. They’ve suffered enough just being down here and watching their friends die. I could never live with myself if I allowed their sacrifice. They get teleported. Do it now.”
“Do not order me,” he said. “You are not my Captain.”
She was about to retort when five Oridians entered the Command Center. The hunched beasts grunted, gazing about.
“We’ve got company,” said Rina, watching the animals sniff the air.
Marante glanced at the Oridians. “They cannot see us. I must concentrate.” He returned to the holo.
“They’re looking right at us,” said Rina, not taking her eyes off the creatures. “I think we need to worry.”
The monsters were nearing. She could smell their dung-like odor.
“It may seem they are alert to our presence but they are not,” said Marante, keeping his attention on the holo. “Pay no mind to them.”
“You said the electromagnetic field of the planet was interfering with the holo. Could it be interfering with our NBs?”
Marante quickly straightened up. He waved his hand through the holo.
“Oh, dear,” he said, touching his bloody head. “The NBs are not blocking the scent of blood. We have a problem.”
“Yeah,” said Rina. “Five of them. I have a bleeding cut on the corner of my mouth.”
“I must separate from you,” said Marante.