A Small Sacrifice
by Mike Lynch
A flash of light
by Mike Lynch
A flash of light
discharged in the sky, followed by multiple explosions so strong, every window within a twenty-block radius of McEnery Park lay shattered.
Errant bolts of electricity darted out columns of smoke as they rose above patches of lawn now covered by a thin layer of black. A soft breeze carried the ashen plumes away, leaving a lone figure—Kelsic 5—standing before a grove of box elder trees.
“Systems check,” he said into his headset display, his weapon at the ready.
“Working at optimal preset limits,” came the reply.
He looked down at his arm and checked the energy gauge affixed to his sleeve. Seventy-one terra-quads of power left. Less than expected, but just enough to defeat his foe, and still leave him with a sufficient amount of energy for a successful jump off the planet.
The contrails from an airliner drew his attention upward. A blue sky set before a solitary moon. It had been a long time since he landed on a planet with a blue sky.
“Blue sky,” he repeated. “What planet am I on?”
A series of clicks and beeps preceded the comset’s response. “Accessing. Earth—third planet in the Sol System. Presently inhabited by an indigenous species known as humans. Their population now stands at—”
“Cease report.” Humans. A survey study made of them some time back came to mind. Kelsic 5 made a three hundred and sixty-degree sweep of the area. Arboreal class life forms, terrestrial access ways, dwelling units. A most primitive and inferior species, he concluded. Not worthy of restrictive engagement protocols.
The air around him suddenly became still. Subtly at first, but it grew in intensity, to the point where his poly-phasic suit compensated for the pressure differential. His senses heightened.
An ion blast shot through the air, detonating a short distance away.
Kelsic 5 dove behind a stand of trees and returned fire. Multiple explosions from his pulse cannon lit up the sky, and then faded. Despite a modicum of protection offered by the thick foliage, he still felt exposed. He bolted for one of the human transportation devices and crouched down behind it.
“Full directional scan,” he said into his headset. “Locate enemy combatant.” As the comset implemented the directive given it, the distinct sounds of people’s screams came at him from multiple directions. Committed to his mission above all else, he ignored the distraction.
“Unable to locate combatant,” the comset replied. “Zero energy signature readings detected within operational range.”
Kelsic 5 slammed his fist into the side of the transportation device, causing a significant dent. “That Simeran must be using a reflective holo-field.” He checked his energy readings. “Tricky to track, but not impossible.”
“Non-sequitur. Please repeat command.”
“Disregard.” He lifted his head just enough to view the open area. Where had his opponent hidden himself? Better the Simeran was invisible, he mused. They were the ugliest species in the galaxy anyway.
The air became still, like before. Kelsic 5 held his place and listened. Another ion blast came out of nowhere and slammed into his poly-phasic suit, hurtling him into an adjacent transportation device. He brought up his weapon and fired blind. Several discharges struck a dwelling unit across from him, causing it to erupt in flames. He watched as a number of humans stumbled out of the smoke-filled entrance. Not much he could do for those creatures.
He jumped to his feet and took cover behind another vehicle. Kelsic 5 flicked a glance at his energy gauge. Sixty-one terra quads. If he didn’t terminate his opponent soon, he wouldn’t have enough energy to make a successful jump off this wretched planet.
Kelsic 5 made a quick scan of the area, his attention drawn towards the plume of smoke as it drifted away. A physiological principle came to mind. An object, even an invisible one, became visible when it passed through the particulate matter. Only one problem. How to get his opponent to pass through it?
He looked down at his pulse cannon and studied it a moment. Perhaps with the right kind of bait.
A quiet whimper sounded behind him. Kelsic 5 spun around and pointed his weapon at the source, a human cowering on the ground. Dressed in strange clothes, wavy shoulder-length hair partially covered the creature’s face. The female of their species, he concluded. Though she didn’t move a muscle, he sensed she was terrified beyond description. As he studied her more closely, he noticed a smaller human clutched in her arms.
“Please, don’t hurt us,” the female pleaded.
He lowered his weapon until it rested against her temple.
All at once her eyes hardened, and she rose to her feet. “If you harm my child, so help me…” She pushed the nuzzle of his pulse cannon off to one side and slowly backed away.
Curious, Kelsic 5 thought. He had the ability to disintegrate them both without a second thought, yet a protective need to save its offspring superceded her fears, even at the cost of her own life.
When another blast struck the dwelling unit behind him, the ensuing shock wave knocked him back a step. He cursed himself. His momentary lapse had almost gotten him killed.
Kelsic 5 brushed past the creature and headed back towards the open area, to the spot where he had first been fired upon. Black smoke continued billowing into the sky, just as he had hoped. He ducked down behind several large boulders not far from where he planned to lure in his prey. As he looked about, Kelsic 5 observed other humans carrying little ones away from the battlefield, using their own bodies to protect them.
He hadn’t expected this. In his experiences as a soldier, he had never once witnessed a semi-advanced species willingly sacrifice itself for one of their own. Such nobility only existed within his own kind, or so he thought.
Kelsic 5 accessed the informational database. “Amend assessment of human class life forms.”
“Proceed when ready.”
“Abort sanctioned elimination of planet. Contamination to culture is reversible.”
Several clicks and bleeps sounded before the comset responded. “Amended assessment has been recorded.”
“Good.”
He peered past the boulder. A problem still remained, however. How to get the Simeran where he wanted him. Kelsic 5 brought up his weapon and studied it a moment before checking his energy gauge. Fifty-two terra quads remaining. If power levels dipped below fifty, he could be marooned on this planet for a very long time. Worse yet, the mission would be deemed a failure, and his superiors would almost certainly invalidate his recommendation. From what little he’d already seen in this species, he couldn’t let that happen.
Kelsic 5 had to make a choice. If he jumped now, the Simeran would still be out there, committed to more destruction. If he didn’t make the jump, his superiors would destroy the planet without hesitation. Either way, it didn’t bode well for Earth.
When the power cell at the base of his pulse cannon caught his eye, a solution presented itself. Not the one he anticipated before his arrival, but it was the only outcome that made sense. “A small sacrifice,” he whispered, and then jumped to his feet and headed straight for the plumes of smoke. Ion fire erupted all around him, nipping at his feet after every step.
He took note of the direction each one came from until an arcing trajectory formed in his head. Kelsic 5 counted to three, and then let off a volley of plasma bursts just to the right of the nearest smoke column. His shot hit dead center, and the Simeran’s mirror technology faltered, exposing him to the light of day.
Enraged he had been discovered, the gangly creature twice Kelsic 5’s size came charging at him. The Simeran attempted to fire his weapon, but it must have been damaged by the explosion.
Kelsic 5 brought up his pulse cannon to finish him off, but he waited too long. The hulking creature tackled him, and the two soldiers became entangled in a fight for their lives. They rolled back and forth, grunting and hammering against each other.
When he finally managed to pin his opponent with a full body lock, Kelsic 5 saw his energy gauge amidst the Simeran’s tentacles flailing about. It read forty-nine terra quads. Too late. But it wasn’t too late.
Kelsic 5 looked his enemy in his bulbous eyes and smiled. “This ends here and now.” He flipped a switch on his weapon and set the power cells on overload. A high-pitched whistle filled the air. It grew in intensity, until a flash of light discharged in the park, and the two were gone.
}
~~~~~ <~
}
Discuss this story.
Mike Lynch currently resides in San Jose, CA with his wife and two children. His first book, Dublin, was published by Arcadia Press in 2007. Mike has also published several short stories, including Surf’s Up, a story awarded Best of Show in the Residential Aliens 2007 flash fiction contest. In 2009 his short story, Beyond Horizon’s Edge, took 1st place in the Preditors & Editors Reader’s Poll, and his latest work, After the Cross, took 1st place in the Dead Robots Society’s writing contest. His first novel, When the Sky Fell, was released by Silver Leaf Books in May 2009, and his next novel, Midnight Over Midian, is scheduled to be released in 2010.
To find out more about Mike Lynch you can check out his website at: http://www.mikelynchbooks.com/
If your interested in Mike’s book you can find it at: http://www.silverleafbooks.com/Books-WhenTheSkyFell.htm
Errant bolts of electricity darted out columns of smoke as they rose above patches of lawn now covered by a thin layer of black. A soft breeze carried the ashen plumes away, leaving a lone figure—Kelsic 5—standing before a grove of box elder trees.
“Systems check,” he said into his headset display, his weapon at the ready.
“Working at optimal preset limits,” came the reply.
He looked down at his arm and checked the energy gauge affixed to his sleeve. Seventy-one terra-quads of power left. Less than expected, but just enough to defeat his foe, and still leave him with a sufficient amount of energy for a successful jump off the planet.
The contrails from an airliner drew his attention upward. A blue sky set before a solitary moon. It had been a long time since he landed on a planet with a blue sky.
“Blue sky,” he repeated. “What planet am I on?”
A series of clicks and beeps preceded the comset’s response. “Accessing. Earth—third planet in the Sol System. Presently inhabited by an indigenous species known as humans. Their population now stands at—”
“Cease report.” Humans. A survey study made of them some time back came to mind. Kelsic 5 made a three hundred and sixty-degree sweep of the area. Arboreal class life forms, terrestrial access ways, dwelling units. A most primitive and inferior species, he concluded. Not worthy of restrictive engagement protocols.
The air around him suddenly became still. Subtly at first, but it grew in intensity, to the point where his poly-phasic suit compensated for the pressure differential. His senses heightened.
An ion blast shot through the air, detonating a short distance away.
Kelsic 5 dove behind a stand of trees and returned fire. Multiple explosions from his pulse cannon lit up the sky, and then faded. Despite a modicum of protection offered by the thick foliage, he still felt exposed. He bolted for one of the human transportation devices and crouched down behind it.
“Full directional scan,” he said into his headset. “Locate enemy combatant.” As the comset implemented the directive given it, the distinct sounds of people’s screams came at him from multiple directions. Committed to his mission above all else, he ignored the distraction.
“Unable to locate combatant,” the comset replied. “Zero energy signature readings detected within operational range.”
Kelsic 5 slammed his fist into the side of the transportation device, causing a significant dent. “That Simeran must be using a reflective holo-field.” He checked his energy readings. “Tricky to track, but not impossible.”
“Non-sequitur. Please repeat command.”
“Disregard.” He lifted his head just enough to view the open area. Where had his opponent hidden himself? Better the Simeran was invisible, he mused. They were the ugliest species in the galaxy anyway.
The air became still, like before. Kelsic 5 held his place and listened. Another ion blast came out of nowhere and slammed into his poly-phasic suit, hurtling him into an adjacent transportation device. He brought up his weapon and fired blind. Several discharges struck a dwelling unit across from him, causing it to erupt in flames. He watched as a number of humans stumbled out of the smoke-filled entrance. Not much he could do for those creatures.
He jumped to his feet and took cover behind another vehicle. Kelsic 5 flicked a glance at his energy gauge. Sixty-one terra quads. If he didn’t terminate his opponent soon, he wouldn’t have enough energy to make a successful jump off this wretched planet.
Kelsic 5 made a quick scan of the area, his attention drawn towards the plume of smoke as it drifted away. A physiological principle came to mind. An object, even an invisible one, became visible when it passed through the particulate matter. Only one problem. How to get his opponent to pass through it?
He looked down at his pulse cannon and studied it a moment. Perhaps with the right kind of bait.
A quiet whimper sounded behind him. Kelsic 5 spun around and pointed his weapon at the source, a human cowering on the ground. Dressed in strange clothes, wavy shoulder-length hair partially covered the creature’s face. The female of their species, he concluded. Though she didn’t move a muscle, he sensed she was terrified beyond description. As he studied her more closely, he noticed a smaller human clutched in her arms.
“Please, don’t hurt us,” the female pleaded.
He lowered his weapon until it rested against her temple.
All at once her eyes hardened, and she rose to her feet. “If you harm my child, so help me…” She pushed the nuzzle of his pulse cannon off to one side and slowly backed away.
Curious, Kelsic 5 thought. He had the ability to disintegrate them both without a second thought, yet a protective need to save its offspring superceded her fears, even at the cost of her own life.
When another blast struck the dwelling unit behind him, the ensuing shock wave knocked him back a step. He cursed himself. His momentary lapse had almost gotten him killed.
Kelsic 5 brushed past the creature and headed back towards the open area, to the spot where he had first been fired upon. Black smoke continued billowing into the sky, just as he had hoped. He ducked down behind several large boulders not far from where he planned to lure in his prey. As he looked about, Kelsic 5 observed other humans carrying little ones away from the battlefield, using their own bodies to protect them.
He hadn’t expected this. In his experiences as a soldier, he had never once witnessed a semi-advanced species willingly sacrifice itself for one of their own. Such nobility only existed within his own kind, or so he thought.
Kelsic 5 accessed the informational database. “Amend assessment of human class life forms.”
“Proceed when ready.”
“Abort sanctioned elimination of planet. Contamination to culture is reversible.”
Several clicks and bleeps sounded before the comset responded. “Amended assessment has been recorded.”
“Good.”
He peered past the boulder. A problem still remained, however. How to get the Simeran where he wanted him. Kelsic 5 brought up his weapon and studied it a moment before checking his energy gauge. Fifty-two terra quads remaining. If power levels dipped below fifty, he could be marooned on this planet for a very long time. Worse yet, the mission would be deemed a failure, and his superiors would almost certainly invalidate his recommendation. From what little he’d already seen in this species, he couldn’t let that happen.
Kelsic 5 had to make a choice. If he jumped now, the Simeran would still be out there, committed to more destruction. If he didn’t make the jump, his superiors would destroy the planet without hesitation. Either way, it didn’t bode well for Earth.
When the power cell at the base of his pulse cannon caught his eye, a solution presented itself. Not the one he anticipated before his arrival, but it was the only outcome that made sense. “A small sacrifice,” he whispered, and then jumped to his feet and headed straight for the plumes of smoke. Ion fire erupted all around him, nipping at his feet after every step.
He took note of the direction each one came from until an arcing trajectory formed in his head. Kelsic 5 counted to three, and then let off a volley of plasma bursts just to the right of the nearest smoke column. His shot hit dead center, and the Simeran’s mirror technology faltered, exposing him to the light of day.
Enraged he had been discovered, the gangly creature twice Kelsic 5’s size came charging at him. The Simeran attempted to fire his weapon, but it must have been damaged by the explosion.
Kelsic 5 brought up his pulse cannon to finish him off, but he waited too long. The hulking creature tackled him, and the two soldiers became entangled in a fight for their lives. They rolled back and forth, grunting and hammering against each other.
When he finally managed to pin his opponent with a full body lock, Kelsic 5 saw his energy gauge amidst the Simeran’s tentacles flailing about. It read forty-nine terra quads. Too late. But it wasn’t too late.
Kelsic 5 looked his enemy in his bulbous eyes and smiled. “This ends here and now.” He flipped a switch on his weapon and set the power cells on overload. A high-pitched whistle filled the air. It grew in intensity, until a flash of light discharged in the park, and the two were gone.
}
~~~~~ <~
}
Discuss this story.
Mike Lynch currently resides in San Jose, CA with his wife and two children. His first book, Dublin, was published by Arcadia Press in 2007. Mike has also published several short stories, including Surf’s Up, a story awarded Best of Show in the Residential Aliens 2007 flash fiction contest. In 2009 his short story, Beyond Horizon’s Edge, took 1st place in the Preditors & Editors Reader’s Poll, and his latest work, After the Cross, took 1st place in the Dead Robots Society’s writing contest. His first novel, When the Sky Fell, was released by Silver Leaf Books in May 2009, and his next novel, Midnight Over Midian, is scheduled to be released in 2010.
To find out more about Mike Lynch you can check out his website at: http://www.mikelynchbooks.com/
If your interested in Mike’s book you can find it at: http://www.silverleafbooks.com/Books-WhenTheSkyFell.htm
