Read Online Wrath of Axia (The Arcadian Jihad) by Eric Schneider - Free Book Online Page B

out.”
    “You have weapons?” Rusal asked.
    Karn grinned. “Weapons? Admiral, what smuggler can afford to go anywhere without some means of defending themselves? Sure, we have weapons. I’ll show you what we’ve got.”
    He opened a vehicle inspection pit in the floor of the warehouse. They followed him down some steps and he opened a heavy steel hatch. He dropped down a steel ladder into an underground arsenal and they could hardly believe what they saw. Every man-portable weapon imaginable was present, racks of laser pistols, laser rifles and even a dismantled, tripod-mount heavy laser cannon. There were also boxes of grenades and even some high explosives.
    “You need all this for a smuggling operation?” Rusal asked, bemused.
    Vansen shrugged. “You never know what you’re going to need. The Security Bureau boys tend to shoot first and ask questions afterwards. We like to be able to shoot back.”
    Rusal issued crisp instructions. “We need to arm ourselves with hand weapons and laser pistols for everyone. Take two boxes of grenades, half a dozen rifles in case we get into a firefight and we’ll take that heavy laser cannon too. We can mount it on the back of the transport. If we’re pursued, that should make them think twice.”
    “It’s a bastard to get that old cannon up through the hatch,” Karn said.
    “It would be a lot worse if we were chased by an SB armored vehicle without the means to defend ourselves,” Rusal retorted.
    “Right, we’ll take the cannon then. One more thing, Admiral.”
    “Yes, what is it?”
    “In view of the way things are, I won’t be coming back to this warehouse. If they search the city of Peria, and they surely will, they’ll find it anyway. I’d like permission to set the charges for when they break in?”
    Blas smiled at the way the Hesperian smuggler had automatically taken on the role of a soldier in the presence of his superior officer. Probably he’d been an NCO, a sergeant. No doubt he’d be needed to take that role on again, and very soon.
    “Permission granted, Vansen. And thank you, for all of your help.”
    Karn nodded and started dragging out the ordnance. It was awkward squeezing the laser cannon out, but finally they had it assembled in the back of the truck. The rest of the guns were hidden behind innocent boxes and sacks. He went around the warehouse placing charges in strategic places, and then set the timer.
    “The timer will arm the charges in ten minutes, so we need to be out of here when I start the detonation sequence. As soon as anyone comes inside, the whole building will be flattened.”
    “No chance of anyone innocent, coming in here?” Tell asked.
    “None. You’ll see when we leave. The place is like a fortress. If anyone comes in here, it’s going to be the military and that means SB.”
    “Good man. We’re ready.”
    They boarded the transport and Karn opened the warehouse doors with a remote switch. Then he climbed into the vehicle and drove out, pressed a switch on his remote and the doors started to close. They drove away, almost in silence as the wheeltracks purred over the ground. The smuggler looked across at Blas.
    “The explosives are all armed, so when they go in there they’ll get more than they bargained for. At least a few less of those bastards will be some relief for the Peria locals.”
    “I gather it’s been bad around here?”
    “Bad! That doesn’t describe it. Those Security Bureau bastards use this planet like it’s a moneybox. They steal everything they can find, imprison the inhabitants and use them for forced labor. You know what they call us Hesperians? Sub-humans, that’s what. To them we’re no more than animals, only fit to be their servants and slaves. You know there are rumors about some of the camps on the plantations?”
    “No, I don’t. What rumors?”
    “Some say that their plan is to get rid of all of the Hesperians, so that the planet can be colonized by the Axians. They plan to use