It was bloody, horrible. The attackers were fast, armed and very determined, but First Squad were well-practiced at close combat, and enhanced. They’d been surprised by the rush, but didn’t come close to being overwhelmed.
"Withdraw to the entrance," Maze said, as soon as the last had fallen. He cast a quick glance into the container space, then followed as rear guard as everyone immediately obeyed.
"Broken?" Zee asked, watching him roll his shoulder and wince. They’d not been able to avoid being hit entirely.
"Seems not. Anyone else?"
"Nothing major." Lohn was clenching and unclenching one hand, and took out his med-kit to spray some bandage over a cut across his knuckles.
"Any chance to read the gate?"
"It looked solid. Days, at least," Alay said.
"We’ll go for a clearing entry approach," Maze said. "One blast from Kettara until we have a chance to evaluate."
The hairy people looked smaller in death, and the spreading pool of their blood made the gate entry both unpleasant and slippery. But none of them were lurking on the other side, and so Maze gestured us through and we moved to a defensible corner while they tried to estimate numbers.
"Dozens," Mara said, at last. "A few outliers circling, but most congregated that way." She nodded toward what seemed to be the centre of the space, where the containers were piled highest.
"I’d prefer a height advantage here," Zee murmured and Maze nodded his agreement.
The tops of the containers were rusty and pitted, and a couple of times crumbled alarmingly underfoot. But being up high allowed us to see the trap a few moments before it was sprung. A higher row of containers trembled, then became a tilting wall of metal which threatened to squash us and take out the containers we were standing on.
Maze had said "Up," before I even saw that, and we rose immediately and swiftly as the trap took out the entire area between the gate and the centre like a row of dominos. And before the noise had even settled they began shooting at us with crossbows, one catching Alay in the leg before Maze and Lohn between them created a mini-cataclysm in the area below. There were only a few left alive after that, and Maze and Zee chased them down while the rest of us gathered on top of a slightly tilted container to check Alay’s leg.
"Two made it through a gate," Maze said, returning. He surveyed the bolt Mara had removed from Alay’s leg. "Any sign of poison?"
"Nothing apparent," Mara said. "I’ve sealed the bleed."
"We’ll short-survey, then. Gainer, let us know if you start experiencing any symptoms."
Alay, Ketzaren and me stayed where we were while the others made a circuit of the space and inspected the bodies of the Ionoth, crisped though most of them were. They didn’t dawdle over it, and we were soon heading back out. Maze paused at the gate, then crossed to a kind of wicker cage tucked in one corner, cutting it open.
There were a half dozen little Ionoth in there. They reminded me faintly of ET, and all of them were in pretty miserable condition, like someone had been poking them with pointy sticks. They moved slowly, blinking fearfully at Maze, who stepped away, then signalled for us to leave.
"The original inhabitants of that space, I think," he said, following us through the gate. "These must be roamers." He surveyed the corpses again, extra-thoroughly, and then we headed back at double-time, with Zee carrying Alay using Telekinesis.
A truly horrible day. The Ionoth in that space, both types, were different from those I’d encountered before, more…real for want of a better word. Well aware of the gates between spaces, ready to defend themselves against attack, and a far cry from animals or shadows. And they drew blood.
I’m beginning to understand why Maze always looks so tired, beyond the strain of using psionic talents. It’s from worrying that someone in his squad will get killed. I need to stop asking myself how bad First’s injuries would have been if they hadn’t been enhanced.
Saturday, March 29
Competition
First Squad’s off rotation for a few days to give them a chance to recover. I asked Mara if squads ever went out with less than six members, and she said it’s rare, but possible so long as all the required talents are covered.
"Did it seem to you those hairy people prepare that ambush and trap particular for Setari?" I asked.
"It certainly felt that way, didn’t it?" Mara said, straightforward as usual. "But the type isn’t in our records at all, so it’s more likely we stumbled into some kind of inter-Ionoth dispute. Perhaps a different band of their own kind."
"That happen a lot?"
"No. Many Ionoth do move to nearby spaces seeking food, but usually return to their own after hunting. Roamers that are systematic explorers, or make any attempt to dominate other areas, are rare and most will fade if they are too long away from their home space. Those were well-organised. Formidable."
Mara has moved on from just throwing balls at me, and in today’s lesson was trying to get me to block attacks. She’d told me that I had no instinct for combat but that that was no reason I couldn’t be taught to defend myself. I still have my doubts, but I accept the value of trying to learn. She’s not soft with me, but she doesn’t ever say nasty things or make fun of me for being so bad, and in a painful way I’m enjoying being back with her.
"Who is best fighter in Setari?" I asked, thinking over the battle between Kajal and Ruuel.
"A question best not asked, as you apparently learned."
"Did Kajal get punish for that?"
"He would have lost privileges. The aether effect is not enough to excuse his behaviour, but does mean he’s not likely to lose captaincy over the incident."
"Maze doesn’t like Setari competing against each other, because of scene like that? Ruuel could have defuse situation by agree to fight him. But Kajal would never been satisfied, right?"
"Not unless he won," Mara agreed. "Maze doesn’t like anything which focuses our energy on each other rather than the Ionoth. While we were still Kalrani it was useful, but it’s becoming an unhealthy distraction for a few of the younger Setari."
Ruuel’s been on my mind a lot today (not that he isn’t usually) because now that First Squad’s on sick leave, I’ve been assigned to Fourth Squad for tomorrow’s rotation. I wonder how the black eye’s progressing?
He was really annoyed about it. More being forced to fight than the injuries. And he didn’t think Kajal had the slightest chance of beating him. That moment of anger, of disdainful arrogance, caught me by surprise. I’ve been putting a lot of thought into what Kaoren Ruuel is really like: whether he’s a humourless robot with a rod up his ass, or the Taren stereotype of a Place Sight talent, all sensitive and haunted and needing always to keep control. That fight showed me that I don’t know him at all.
I need to spend more time practicing ways to get home.
Sunday, March 30
Touchstone
I made sure to be early down to Red Lock for the rotation with Fourth Squad, and then had to wonder if I was trying to impress Ruuel, and what I thought that would achieve. I need to be sensible where he’s concerned. Anyway, turning up early was more about not being on the receiving end of one of those brief glances he gives people when they waste his time. Just a momentary look, not even a change of expression, and I know I’d shrivel.