Mars (Planet) -- Fiction; Psychological fiction; Science fiction; War stories
He put her on the frosty floor of the huge bank. Around her, like some
hideous garnishing, were eyes that looked at her accusingly. He dragged
the two Oligarch guards and Keith's corpse into another bank, slammed
the heavy door. Van Ness groaned and Danton lifted him into the car.
"I can't see," Van Ness whispered. "I can't see. I'm dying."
"Hang on," Danton said. "Only fifty Oligarchs, understand, Van? Forty
seven now. Maybe less if those seven I shot down in the pit didn't all
recover. Maybe we can get some more of them, Van!"
"I'm dying," Van Ness whispered. "I can't see."
* * * * *
Danton tooled the car. As he approached doors in the long tubular
halls, the doors opened automatically, closed again behind. There were
turns, drops, risings, more doors, other halls.
He stopped the car. Lost, alone, somewhere. Only fifty of them--no,
forty-seven now at most. They wouldn't have too large a structure here.
Somewhere there would have to be a central power source. If he could
find such a power unit, strike at the heart--
He shook Van Ness. He felt for the heart. It was still beating. Van
Ness moaned, "I'm dying. If I could see--"
"Do you know what I'm saying, Van? Can you hear me?"
"Yes ... sure I can hear you."
"Listen to me. We're in the Oligarch's fortress. I don't know how big
it is. But it seems to be one unified structure. There has to be a
central power source here. You were an engineering expert. Where would
it be? Van, listen. There are only a handful of Oligarchs here now. We
stand a slim chance...."
"But I can't see--"
"I can see."
"Yes--a central power source. I remember the words to an old song,
Captain. You know, soldiering used to be a great sport. There was one
about a chocolate soldier with a uniform so pretty...."
"_Van Ness!_"
"Yes."
"Where would they build that central power room? Up? Down?"
"Down."
He started the car moving. Oddly curving and angling corridors bending
with geometrical precision. He saw an elevator door and he pressed
the button; the door opened and he drove the car into it. Down, fast,
sickeningly fast.
"Bottom ... clear down," Van Ness mumbled. "Start from there. I can't
see--"
Danton kept the elevator dropping and then it stopped. He hadn't
stopped it.
He stepped to the side as the door slid open. He hit the entering
Oligarch, hit him with a short hard blow in the solar plexus and when
the man gasped and bent forward, Danton brought his knee up. Bone and
cartilage crunched. The man slewed to one side, and Danton hit him
again and the man smashed into the wall and slid down toward the floor.
"I can't see," Van Ness said. "But what I hear has a sweet sound."
Danton dragged the Oligarch up, held him against the wall. The man
sagged and lifted his hands to protect his face. His lips were torn,
his nose bleeding. He stared dazedly at Danton, his eyes filled with
terror, shock.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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