Recap: In the last installment, a radio transmission was discovered, which warned of some creature in the sewers they had just come from. As they closed the service hatch it struck. Mortally wounding Doc Freeman and in the firefight one of the Raws was killed.
There was a sound from above; clawing, scratching, chittering. The creature was searching for a way to get out of the room it was locked in. Quim couldn't focus on it though. Instead, he stared at Doc Freeman, who was in the process of dying. He had been a part of the team and a key member for so long now, the man had helped each member of the team many times, bringing them back from the brink of death. Now, Quim was helpless and could offer him the same help.
"We'll cauterise the wound," Quim said through a vacant stare. "That thing is trying to get out of there," Triple said distantly in the background. "Quim, you have to run." Doc Freeman said sternly. "We can carry you with us." Doc Freeman shook his head. "Just go, I'm going to slow you down." He said. Quim looked away, unable to look upon the dying man. "We'll tend to your wounds and bring you with us." He said. "We can fix this." He looked down, trying to pretend that there wasn't a pool of blood forming underneath the wheezing man. "Quim! Snap out of it! Stop lying to yourself and stop trying to look for a solution to this. I'm dying, do you not think I know that! You have to look after the others and move out! If that creature gets back down here. Which, it will. You will all end up like me." Quim snapped to attention as Doc Freeman started shouting. "Doc! We can't just leave you here!"
He stood up and started pacing on the spot, trying desperately to think of a solution. But, there was none; none that he could see anyway. "What? So, we're supposed to just leave you here? To wait for that thing to come back and finish you off." Doc Freeman nodded lightly. "I'll die while being carried. Besides, I'm in too much pain. I can't bear the thought of you, or that heavy-handed brute Triple lugging me through the streets of this shithole." He said, casting an eye at Triple, who walked closer. "Doc," He said. "No, don't you start too. Tell him Triple." Triple turned to Quim with a worried look on his face. Partly his eyes said to think of something fast, and partly they let Quim know that there were no options; They had to leave.
Doc Freeman rummaged through his pockets and took out a mist-stick. "What you can do Quim, is give me a light." He did and Doc Freeman took a deep drag, blowing it out after a few seconds he closed his eyes. "Is he gone?" Triple asked, with a quiver in his voice. "No, Triple, I'm not gone yet." Doc Freeman opened his eyes to look at Triple in bewilderment. Another bang could be heard, followed by a large crash. Doc Freeman pointed to the ceiling. "You're running out of time." He then reached for his side arm and took it off his belt. Mist-stick in one hand and pistol in the other. He stared at Quim. "Leave. Now. Either that or I'll blow my mind away right here and now."
Quim felt a tug. He was grabbed by the scruff of his jacket and dragged. It was Lags, who had been quiet through all of this, but, now he was reacting. "We've got no choice Quim let's go." The others moved and Quim through a look back at Doc Freeman, he seemed happy. As happy as someone could be in his position.
They were outside the warehouse, which could have been their own tomb. Quim was distracted, by the thoughts of leaving Doc in there on his own. But, in the back of his mind, he knew it was the only choice they had. The man would not have moved, even if they could have carried him. Moments from the entryway of the warehouse, they could hear smashing. Until, nothing. Moments later gunshots could be heard. "Run, that thing has broken loose," Anadi said in a fearful tone. Everyone followed his direction and started to sprint. The area was a cluttered mess, all the buildings in the area were dilapidated, and there was nowhere obvious to go but straight ahead up an incline and through the broken-down road.
After a few miles of running in silence, they all stopped to get some air, confident that the creature wasn't chasing them down. Dawn was breaking as they reach the end of the large hill. Quim looked back to where they came from. Wishing that he could go back in time and leave the warehouse before everything had happened.
"Okay, we're safe," Anadi said, with confidence. Safe, as he said. Nothing about this mission was safe. Quim reached a realisation in his mind that they were all going to die. It was a mistake coming here. He thought as he sat down and stared at the ground. The others were chatting amongst themselves, but, Quim couldn't concentrate on what was being said. Death. Regrets. Loyalty. Each of these things had consequences. Each one had multiple meanings. There was no way around this. Quim's mind reeled at all of the things he would never do again. This is it. Stranded, on a swamp world. Dying for something I don't fully believe in. He wanted to go back to before the invasion. A time when the most he and his squad had to worry about were raider bands and pirates running a muck on some backward colony world. But, now? Now his and the life of his squad were going to be ended, for what? For who? Some idiots sitting at the top of the food chain. *Lags is right. Gnosians attacked one of our worlds and we're here on Trisk. The Triskens never started this war. All the Raws and Doc have paid the cost of this war and more will pay for it in kind.
"Quim. Hello?" Anadi's voice echoed through Quim's mind, pulling him from his thoughts. He looked up at the man, who stared back at him, like some lost child. "What do you think?" He asked. Quim stood up. "About what?" Anadi rolled his eyes and walked closer. "I was saying. If it wasn't for Fin Pane, that thing would have killed us down there." Quim nodded to that. "Yeah, probably." He responded. "Best not to think of these things." He said turning away, to go back to his thoughts.
"What I said was. I want to help him, the rest of my team want to as well." He walked around, so Quim was looking in his direction. "Anadi. We have a mission of our own. We need to do what we were sent here to do, or else the rest of the fleet can't land. You do know there is a joint fleet up there waiting for us. We came in to reinforce Yittias's failed attempts." Anadi gave a frown in response and then looked to the sky. He opened his arms out as if hoping to take flight and then he started mumbling again.
"Yes! I see them. They can hear me." He said loudly, attracting the attention of everyone in the vicinity. "It's decided then. You Quim. You and your team, carry on about your business, and godspeed to you. Let's get them down here. As for myself and my team, we've decided to go to that substation and put an end to the block on communications." Quim looked at him and shook his head slightly. "Okay Anadi, do what you have to do."
"Quim. Look." Lags called to him and Quim walked in his direction, up a slight incline, and through some foliage. Lags was kneeling, staring out, with his back to Quim. "There it is. We're not far." He said coldly. "Far from what?" Quim walked up the hill and looked out over the whole city. He could see the substation Anadi spoke of, it was close. There were many buildings and from this distance, Quim could see ships coming and going, buzzing like flies around some decaying food. "Wow," Quim said taken aback by it all. The others joined them in looking out over the city.
"It's clear. It's all right there. Lags, find the nearest building with a solid flow of ships coming back and forth. We're going to need one to get to Herzart." Quim said. "Will do." He replied while he started to make his search. "That's it, that's the substation. Our target. Now, I know, it won't be easy. But, we have to help Fin Pale." Anadi said confidently with a sense of pride.
"You know that transmission could be weeks old?" Bird told him, but, Anadi could only gleefully laugh. "It could be hours old too." He replied.
Quim just wanted to get this done. They had gotten lost and sidetracked, but, now he could see the end of this journey. "We approach undercover, using one of their transports. I think you should do the same Anadi." He turned to the man, who almost didn't seem convinced.