thing to herself until they were back. She didn’t want them distracted from their assignment at the Yainin glacier.
When they were all in their battle suits, she saw them to the door and stroked Loxin’s feathers quickly before they loaded into the ship.
Once they were up and away, she went looking for the armoury that she had seen on day one. If she was going to be telling someone to get the hell away from the base, she was going to need something to back it up.
They might not need weapons on a mission but that didn’t mean that the base was undefended. Weapons training had been her best course.
The news reports showed the Guardians doing their thing, but there was an issue. Two of the children had suffered severe hypothermic shock before they could be dug out of the collapse. They had escaped from their group and no one had noticed. Jekross had found them when he had sensed the teacher’s need.
The Guardians were staying to talk to local schools and wait until the children were out of danger.
She had dutifully recorded the event the moment that they had been past the point of no return. No one had contacted her yet.
She slept fitfully, and when her alarm went off, she got her messages. Jekross’s face on the com was unhappy. “You should have mentioned this. We could have left one of us with you.”
“You were all needed. You had worked out your plans, and they were dependant on you all being there. I don’t even know why I am going to be shouting at someone, but I am not screaming…well, not in pain.”
“You are defenseless.”
She stiffened. “I am not. I have weapons proficiency and the willingness to defend the base. Trust me. I will be fine.”
That was her first call. Her second was from Yacaro. A woman with white hair called her and smiled. “So, you are the other Terran I painted. Well, Oracle, I am calling with a warning. The Yinshin have decided that they want a being who can see the future. They tried here and Charm kicked their asses, but now, they are on their way to you.”
“Rhoda, right? I am Dot.” She smiled at the woman’s familiar facial structure. No weird bones, no plates, just nice and human.
“Hello, Dot. Do you hear me? There is an attack squad on their way, and by the time I was notified of it, they were in orbit. They are minutes away.”
Dot nodded. “I know. I have heard my own voice and heard weapons fire immediately afterward. The Yinshin, they are a weird sickly yellow, right?”
Rhoda blinked. “Right. You heard it?”
“I hear the future, one day in advance. I am ready. Thanks for giving me what I was missing though. I would hate to shoot down a supply ship.” She grinned.
Rhoda chuckled. “Your supplies are picked up by the Guardians from a dispensing depot under high security. No one goes to a base on Nixos but the Guardians.”
“Thank you for that, Rhoda. I look forward to speaking again.”
“Me, too, Dot. Welcome to the Nyal Imperium.”
Dot laughed and closed the com. She headed to the door, picked up the weapons that she had selected and she went outside to wait on the stone surface. Her uniform fluttered in the breeze, and she had her hair up in a charming Gibson-girl style, not that anyone could see it. The breastplate was snug and her hood was up. She had bent the dress code a little by wearing a thin bodysuit under the dress, but she felt very comfortable otherwise.
She looked skyward and saw the bright speck coming toward her. Her day of prep had let her find the broadcast com on her uniform. When it was easy enough to see the foreign shuttle, she broadcast, “Approaching vessel, please divert course or you will be shot down.”
There was no reply, and she waited until the ship was larger, she said it again. “Approaching vessel, divert course or you will be shot down.”
“We have come for the Oracle. Stand aside or bring her out.”
She smiled. That was enough for her. Dot picked out the first rocket launcher and she
When they were all in their battle suits, she saw them to the door and stroked Loxin’s feathers quickly before they loaded into the ship.
Once they were up and away, she went looking for the armoury that she had seen on day one. If she was going to be telling someone to get the hell away from the base, she was going to need something to back it up.
They might not need weapons on a mission but that didn’t mean that the base was undefended. Weapons training had been her best course.
The news reports showed the Guardians doing their thing, but there was an issue. Two of the children had suffered severe hypothermic shock before they could be dug out of the collapse. They had escaped from their group and no one had noticed. Jekross had found them when he had sensed the teacher’s need.
The Guardians were staying to talk to local schools and wait until the children were out of danger.
She had dutifully recorded the event the moment that they had been past the point of no return. No one had contacted her yet.
She slept fitfully, and when her alarm went off, she got her messages. Jekross’s face on the com was unhappy. “You should have mentioned this. We could have left one of us with you.”
“You were all needed. You had worked out your plans, and they were dependant on you all being there. I don’t even know why I am going to be shouting at someone, but I am not screaming…well, not in pain.”
“You are defenseless.”
She stiffened. “I am not. I have weapons proficiency and the willingness to defend the base. Trust me. I will be fine.”
That was her first call. Her second was from Yacaro. A woman with white hair called her and smiled. “So, you are the other Terran I painted. Well, Oracle, I am calling with a warning. The Yinshin have decided that they want a being who can see the future. They tried here and Charm kicked their asses, but now, they are on their way to you.”
“Rhoda, right? I am Dot.” She smiled at the woman’s familiar facial structure. No weird bones, no plates, just nice and human.
“Hello, Dot. Do you hear me? There is an attack squad on their way, and by the time I was notified of it, they were in orbit. They are minutes away.”
Dot nodded. “I know. I have heard my own voice and heard weapons fire immediately afterward. The Yinshin, they are a weird sickly yellow, right?”
Rhoda blinked. “Right. You heard it?”
“I hear the future, one day in advance. I am ready. Thanks for giving me what I was missing though. I would hate to shoot down a supply ship.” She grinned.
Rhoda chuckled. “Your supplies are picked up by the Guardians from a dispensing depot under high security. No one goes to a base on Nixos but the Guardians.”
“Thank you for that, Rhoda. I look forward to speaking again.”
“Me, too, Dot. Welcome to the Nyal Imperium.”
Dot laughed and closed the com. She headed to the door, picked up the weapons that she had selected and she went outside to wait on the stone surface. Her uniform fluttered in the breeze, and she had her hair up in a charming Gibson-girl style, not that anyone could see it. The breastplate was snug and her hood was up. She had bent the dress code a little by wearing a thin bodysuit under the dress, but she felt very comfortable otherwise.
She looked skyward and saw the bright speck coming toward her. Her day of prep had let her find the broadcast com on her uniform. When it was easy enough to see the foreign shuttle, she broadcast, “Approaching vessel, please divert course or you will be shot down.”
There was no reply, and she waited until the ship was larger, she said it again. “Approaching vessel, divert course or you will be shot down.”
“We have come for the Oracle. Stand aside or bring her out.”
She smiled. That was enough for her. Dot picked out the first rocket launcher and she
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