Waters of the Moon: Tranquility's Heirs

"You expected me?" Grey asked.

"The Security Computer said you would come."

"It appears I must change my tactics," Grey sighed, unhappy to be so predictable.

Checking to see the Security Computer still occupied, Grey leaned forward and whispered. "The tour guide is waiting at the bottom of CA-3. When the Security Computer and I begin talking again, work your way over to the tunnel."

"Am I to assume I shall better off in your custody?" Vandebrown asked.

"Significantly," Grey replied with a frown.

Vandebrown silently obeyed.

"A contest it shall be," the Security Computer finally announced. "Two on two?"

"What? Me and an incompetent old human against Alpha and Gamma? Don't be ridiculous. Me against Gamma, Alpha sits out."

"Full charges?"

"Of course. The game wouldn't be fun unless it was dangerous."

"Then prepare," Security said, positioning security units in a line along the north wall.

Once Alpha dropped back into the alcove, Gamma set up and the contest began.

"What are your chances?" Vandebrown whispered, looking at the flying armored spheres with concern.

"Thinking of changing sides?" Grey asked.

"Should I?" Vandebrown laughed uneasily.

Grey shrugged as he'd seen Kris do. As Vandebrown was familiar with the seeker's capability, he found it rather difficult to share his rescuer's nonchalance.

While Grey closed his visor and took up a position in the center of the Loop, Vandebrown fell back to watch from the mouth of CA-3, glad to be out of harm's way. He was startled when a service unit came up the tunnel carrying extra weapons and power packs, but his surprise didn't stop him from plucking off a fully charged blaster. Just in case. Then he looked up to see that, though Grey apparently hadn't noticed what he'd done, the Security Computer had. Vandebrown waved his hand at the monitor, smiled, and gave the thumbs up sign. The Security Computer displayed no response.

Suddenly Gamma swept up toward the ceiling, arched slowly, and dove into the center, rotating and firing short bursts while curling around Grey's flank. Grey increased shield power, back stepped to his right, and fired at Gamma's vulnerable wing jet. The seeker broke left to avoid taking a hit, sweeping away at floor level to circle back for another run, but just as the seeker completed the turn, Grey twirled and charged, cutting Gamma off. The seeker looped inward for an eye level run.

Ducking to avoid a collision, Grey danced backward against the north wall stairway, dueling with short bursts to hold a defensive line, then he engaged the seeker in a brief flurry of intense exchanges. When Gamma broke off, Grey pursued in quick, skipping leaps, shifting underneath and firing a full power burst into Gamma's starboard jet and scoring a minor hit.

As the seeker climbed away on rear thruster, Grey backed through the center of the Loop, giving up more ground than he gained. Gamma turned and charged again, spiraling in on variable thrusters and trying to turn his flank. Grey skipped backward, ducked, and rolled out from under, taking another few steps toward CA-3.

Watching intently, Vandebrown had to admire the young man's technique. He'd seen seekers challenged before. For sport. He had tried it himself during his younger years and knew one-on-one wasn't easy. He began to grow more confident when another exchange allowed Grey to move backward several more meters. The strategy was clear now. Another exchange or two and Grey would fall back through his flankers and reach the tunnel no worse for wear. And from what Vandebrown saw, the tunnel could be sealed off quickly.

Nicely done, boy! Vandebrown thought. Couldn't have done better myself! But the admiring smile suddenly disappeared from his face.

A brief glimpse of heat on his tactical scanner was all the warning Grey had. Breaking off from Gamma, he turned his shield upward just as Epsilon zoomed down into the Loop on full burn. Almost simultaneously, Delta appeared from the engineering tunnel, traveling low against the floor and swinging out wide along the south wall.

Without waiting to discover their intentions, Grey drew his heaviest wide beam blaster and opened fire, causing Epsilon to break right toward the open where Gamma was making a sweeping turn. As Delta closed, he backed away from the center, then turned and raised his shield, bracing himself to take aim on the pursing seeker.

After a brief exchange, Delta tried to go around his flank, but Grey shifted in the same direction until Delta was forced to climb for high ground. Then Alpha suddenly broke from the neutral position behind the counter, giving Grey a momentary scare on his left flank, but Alpha lacked support and fell back on the other three hovering seekers.

With Delta and Epsilon pressing close, Grey couldn't afford to retreat. Nor could he expect to stay where he was. A difficult position had become untenable, and as the seekers started to spread out, even gaining the wall for some flank protection became impossible. Grey dropped a fresh charge into his blaster, added a new converter cable to the shield, and risked his right flank to shift back toward the security counter.

Wary of stray fire, Vandebrown ducked further into CA-3, his armor not designed for the heavy charges being used by the combatants. He noted with amazement the respect the seekers gave Grey, forming up rather than just charging in. He even felt a little sad to see the battle ending so unfairly.