Chapter 11: Shopping Trip

I had several hours to myself, with nothing to do. Laine and Saria were out shopping, so I decided I’d catch up on the news videos.

It took me a few attempts to turn on the display in the lounge. The labels were all in Quard. Finally, I found a channel that had Ori subtitles, so I left it on that channel.

I watched a news show on Quard Prime and their neighbouring colonies and allies. I watched until I dozed off on the sofa.

The sound of a loud explosion outside woke me from my sleep. I moved over to a window looking onto the street.

Outside, burning wreckage replaced where a ground transport used to be. If my security detail was inside that vehicle, they were dead.

In the street were several stocky beings that I guessed were Lagaid. They moved from another ground transport and approached the burned out vehicle, each carrying energy weapons. Soon they’d come for me.

My assets were few. I didn’t have an away team uniform to protect me from their energy weapons.

Wait! I had one of those Lagaid weapons in my bag. I’d intended to give it to the ambassador to examine, but I’d forgotten.

I ran to the bedroom and pulled my bag up onto the bed. Taking the weapon out, I considered my next move. Once they finished looking at the burning wreckage, I assumed at least two would enter via the front, with the others flanking around the back.

The hall to the bedrooms had an unobstructed view of the entrance hall. I searched for a panic alarm, but all the labels were Quard. Perhaps a neighbour sounded the alarm. I’d have to hold out until help arrived.

I crouched behind the doorframe to the bedroom and aimed my weapon towards the entryway.

There was another loud bang, followed by the remains of the front door flying into the entrance hall. I steeled myself for the battle. These were the bastards that killed Koluna.

Two beings walked into the entrance hall, searching. They weren’t expecting an armed response and weren’t keeping cover.

I aimed at the first one, fired, and at once targeted the second. My second shot went off before the first target fell to the ground with a hole in his chest. The second target dropped next to him, equally dead. I now realized how insane I was to go up against this weapon with a dinner plate on that passenger transport.

Now the question. Do I hold my position, or should I approach the entrance hall? If two entered the front of the house, perhaps more would enter via the back. I didn’t know.

I waited for about two minutes. No more beings came in the front. It was time to move. I carefully approached the entrance hall and peeked out the front. I saw no more Lagaid out there.

A sound caught my attention, and I looked at the corpses of the two Lagaid intruders. They had similar communicators, and someone was calling.

I took a communicator and another weapon, then I kept low and exited the front doorway. I stepped over the rubble, and I made my way to the street. I found no more Lagaid out front. They hadn’t bothered to keep a lookout on the street.

I guessed the others had gone around the back. I picked a vehicle on the far side of the street for cover and I aimed at the front entrance of the ambassador’s house.

Someone was calling on the communicator again. It sounded worried. They had probably discovered their dead friends.

The longer I survived, the more likely help would arrive. I waited. In the distance I could hear a siren, perhaps more security forces.

The sound got nearer, and a ground transport came along the street. It approached my position. I kept behind cover because I knew there were more Lagaid hunting for me.

As the ground transport arrived, two more Lagaid burst out of the ambassador’s house. They saw the ground transport and raised their weapons. I couldn’t let them kill more security forces.

From my position, I fired at the first Lagaid. I got him before he let off a shot and he promptly fell backwards. The second Lagaid fired on the ground transport, which contained two beings. There was a loud explosion.

I returned fire at once, hitting the second Lagaid. He dropped to the ground. I waited in case more came out of the house.

No more Lagaid came into view, so my thoughts turned to the ground transport. I stepped out from cover and approached the ground transport, careful where I pointed my weapon.

The shot from the Lagaid had destroyed about half of the ground transport, including the occupant on that side. The other occupant fared better. He was partially burnt but alive.

“Do you speak Ori?” I asked when I got to his side.

“Yes,” he replied. His voice was strained.

“Can you call for backup? Do you have a medical kit?” I asked.

He reached for his communicator and said a few words in Quard. I waited.

“Backup is coming. Medical kit on the other side,” he gestured to the side of the ground transport that no longer existed. Crap! We had to wait for their backup to arrive.

A sound caught my attention. It was the Lagaid communicator. Someone was calling, but it sounded more distant. It had me thinking, if they came after me here perhaps they had another team going after Laine and Saria.

In the distance I could hear more sirens. I turned back to the injured security forces officer.

“Listen. My name is Brian. These Lagaid here are dead. More Lagaid are going after my friends, I have to find them. I have to save them,” I said.

He nodded and gestured me to go.

Laine and Saria browsed garments in a clothing store in the shopping district. Their Quard security detail had parked their ground transport nearby and stood outside the store.

“You’ll need bathing suits. We have a pool aboard our vessel,” said Laine. They spoke in Quard, since Brian wasn’t there.

Saria selected an item. She held it against herself and turned to Laine.

“What about this?” she asked.

“Looks great!” replied Laine.

Laine picked up a more revealing outfit and studied it in a mirror.

“I like this one!” said Laine with enthusiasm.

A short distance away, the lone sales clerk watched the customers, counting her commission in her head.

Laine turned to Saria. “I’ll need a clothing bag to carry all this in,” she said.

“I’ll need one too, the way we are shopping,” added Saria.

“Don’t worry, when we get back to Ship, there’s plenty of room,” said Laine.

“Ship?” asked Saria.

“That’s the name of our vessel, or the AI on our vessel,” replied Laine. “He’s way cool.”

“I can’t wait!” said Saria.

Suddenly, there was a loud noise outside in the street. Laine and Saria turned to see their security detail gunned down in front of the store.

“Oh, crap!” exclaimed Laine. “More Lagaid.”

Saria pulled Laine down behind a garment rack.

“We have to get out of here. They’ll be coming inside soon,” she said.

Both pulled out their stun guns. Laine turned to the sales clerk.

“Armed Lagaid are coming in here to kill us. We have to evacuate now! Take us to your rear exit,” said Laine.

“You were on the newscast, on that transport!” said the sales clerk.

Saria was already moving towards the back of the store. Laine grabbed the sales clerk by the arm and pulled her, following Saria.

Saria found the door at the back, undid the lock and kicked the door open. The door opened into a service alley.

“Quick!” she said. “We don’t have time.”

Laine and the sales clerk followed through the door. Saria closed the door behind them.

“But my store!” exclaimed the sales clerk.

“If you go back in there, you will die,” said Laine forcefully. “You need to get away from here.”

The sales clerk hesitated.

“Laine, get ready to grab her,” said Saria.

“I’m sorry,” said Saria. She shot the sales clerk with her stun gun. Laine caught her before she could fall.

They dragged the unconscious sales clerk and lay her on the ground behind a low wall.

“They aren’t after her. We have to move now,” said Laine.

Both stood and ran down the service alley.

Behind them, they heard an explosion. Laine glanced back and saw they’d destroyed the rear exit of the store. Several armed beings were stepping over the rubble.

The alley joined a larger street up ahead.

Laine and Saria ran around the corner. They stopped and peered back at their pursuers.

“Looks like four of them. Too bad I don’t have my sniper rifle,” said Saria.

“Agreed,” replied Laine. She’d got out her device. “I’ve just called for more security forces. We need to keep ahead of the Lagaid until they arrive.”

The Lagaid were gaining. One store keeper peered out to see what caused the commotion. He died for his curiosity.

“Time to move!” said Saria.

I rushed over to the ground transport left by the Lagaid and got in the driver seat. I dropped the weapons and communicator in the seat beside me.