Solar Warden, Jakob Waechter [book club suggestions .TXT] 📗

the life signs. But how the wakeup process exactly works we don’t know. It could be just heating up the temperature or injecting something,” she added.

“I see nothing connected to him. So an injection would probably come after opening. I will search now for an interface to connect to this device. Did the analysts find some instruction in the database?” Newman had his scanner in his hand and was searching around the device.

“Not yet. That is the problem we are down to guessing,” Watkins replied and further checked the reading.

“There is only this button here in front of the transparent shield. I have to check it out, but probably this opens the device. What else it will do we can see by trying or I try to figure it out,” Newman told his findings.

“Only one button means it is fully automatic, I guess. But better to be sure if you can find this out.” Watkins wanted to know what she was doing and not the trail thing.

Then Newman found the interface and connected. He knew from the other devices how to get the information out. It took him only three minutes.

“So I think I got it. This button just opens and closes the shield. If it stays a longer time open, the system will adapt a bit with the cooling, but automatically ask you what you want on the display. There must be also some icon or something to switch to a different menu. I guess it is here.” Newman pushed on the display. The menu switched. “Here you can start the wakeup process. It will automatically open and heat up. If we switch here back, you have the status screen. When I open now with the button, you might have some time to take samples. Then we can close it. It may warn you if something with the condition is changing. If it cannot hold the temperature it will ask to wake up or just do it after a while. So take the samples fast. Then we close it again.”

“Wait I make the preparations,” Jones said.

He was getting the stuff he needed from a backpack nearby. It was the one of Sharon which was currently with the others in the greenhouse.

“I’m ready,” Jones informed.

Then Newman hit the button. The transparent shield turned into the side. It was curved so it needed not much space.

Jones took three samples in no time. There was no warning. Only the temperature changed a bit. But this seemed not to trigger anything.

Newman closed it after he made a scan. “Seems he has a device in his head.”

“Interesting. Then logically they are clones which I already assumed because of the age,” Watkins replied while looking at the status display.

“Then we need to wake him up later, I guess.” Jones said.

“If there is time, sure.” Newman was done here. “If this is all for now, I check back to Samuel.”

“Yes, that’s all for now. We do some fast tests which we can do here. Then check the breeding station. I call you when we need assistance,” Watkins was now busy with the probes. Jones assisted to speed the things up.

 

13 Beneath the earth

Knight and his team were in the fifth round. They had won all matches and got not hit once. There also was no need to do any special things. It worked well just with the standard maneuvers. They already found out, the reptilians are using the same rifle as on all the other encounters in the facility and the cave. Then it could be possible to increase the settings of the plasma shots. Riley finished the last on off which was coming to the building.

“You have won. Please return to the start room,” came over the speaker again. They took off the helms and walked slowly down the stairs.

“We have to get them into the building or let one in and shot him there. But best we let all in so we have fast access to the weapons. We will try one with maximum power in the building. If it works, we make a run for the cave exit. Hopefully the others could open it or we have to try it by ourselves,” Knight whispered.

“If we find the door panel, I can at least try to trigger the opening mechanism. Maybe reconnect the power cables or shot the control and hope for luck,” Pearce whispered back.

“At least we could hold the area at the door for some time, if they have not much more of this reptilians,” Riley added also whispering.

They went back to the room and after the door closed they waited for the next round to start.

Knight looked at the door again where he had to shot. The others checked the door behind.

Then the arena opened again.

“Let’s go, we wait at the building. I hold the entrance, while you flank them from the sides. Hope they don’t chose to flank us if they don’t see us at the top,” Knight said as they were running to the building.

They reached it with no encounter. Pearce went to the right corner and Riley to the left. Then Knight went in, to look out of the window on the other side. It was a new position they never used on the other trails. Knight spotted them marching to the building. A shot went off to his position. He immediately went back. Then further shots went through the window. Knight was already at the entrance on the other side and signaled the others to watch. He waited there and targeted the only possibility the opponents could come to him. A reptilian came to sight. Knight shot immediately and hit him. “Go!”

The others went around the building.

One was now at the corner and shooting around at Knight. They exchanged some shots.

A shot from somewhere else went off.

“He is down,” Riley shouted.

Knight went immediately in. “Where is the last one?”

“Probably on top. I searched the other rooms on my side,” Pearce replied which went now to Riley at the stairway.

“Lure him to the stairway,” Knight ordered.

Riley and Pearce fired some shots up. It took a bit then the reptilian appeared and fired back from the side at the end of the stairway. He could only target Riley at that position.

“He is here,” Riley shouted and went into cover. Then shot up some uncontrolled shots.

Knight was now running out of the entrance. He glanced back up till he saw the reptilian firing down the stairs with the back to him.

So he stopped, turned and targeted. The reptilian went down in cover. Shots were going up to the top of the arena. Knight waited in targeting position. Seeing the reptilian going up, Knight fired and hit the last one.

“You have won. Please return to the start room,” Came again over the speaker.

Knight went into the building. A shot one was here.

“It’s working,” came from Pearce.

Knight removed the power cell dropped his rifle and went to the useful one. The others already had theirs. The reptilian close to him woke up. Knight shot him.

“Ready?” Knight asked after he changed the setting of the rifle.

Both saluted. Knight took the lead and they made a run for the start room.

The door was now closing.

“This is senseless what you are doing,” came over the speaker.

Knight shot at the door. One side did not close further. There was now a hole in the top of it. They moved the defect door part back and went in. Further two shot went off. Then the next door parts could be moved manually.

They checked around the corners. There was no one to see. They made a run for the exit in the entrance hall. It opened automatically as they were close. Outside there was also no one to see. Knight led them up the stairs around the middle building to the bridge where they went to the city. While running over the bridge they checked sometimes back still spotting no one. Without encounter they reached the stairs.

“I cover here. You go up and secure the top. Then try to open the door,” Knight ordered. Pearce and Riley went up. All doors were closed. They pushed all buttons they found. Then tried to open the strong door at the end as no door opened. It did not work. Then Pearce fired a shot left to the button. Now he could remove it and had access to the wiring. Riley found a cover plate which he also could not remove.

“Step back,” Riley said. As Pearce followed he shot also trying not to hit the wiring. Now he could also remove the cover plate.

Unfortunately, there were more cables than anticipated. They searched for a manual control mechanism.

“We need time with this main door. The other two doors are still closed. If they are lift doors we are in a trap situation,” Pearce called down.

“There is still no one to see. I come up,” Knight replied and went up the stairs. Everyone were now looking at the mechanism.

“If we shoot this, either the door opens or we have to open by rerouting the power,” Pearce declared finally and pointed at a panel were the power cables went in and out.

“Yes, give it a try. Use the lowest setting,” Knight replied.

Pearce altered the rifle settings. They stepped back and Pearce shot.

Nothing happened.

“Ok, then the hard way,” Pearce dropped the rifle and removed the panel cover without a problem.

The power cables could be unplugged but where too short to connect them.

“Well, now it will be tricky,” Pearce stood in front of it and thought.

“I have it. Kids don’t try this at home. Step back,” Pearce removed the cable which protected the panel case. Then he plugged in the power cable which probably led to the door mechanism. After plugging in the other corresponding part some sparkles came out of the panel and finally the door started to open slowly.

They waited till the door was half open. Pearce removed one cable and they went through to secure the hall and the rooms there first.

Their wakeup room was empty as well as the other on the opposite side.

They went for the next door

“I secure our back,” Knight said and went to the side of the half open door.

The others began the work. Then the door to the right opened.

“We got company,” Knight called to the back, then focused on targeting.

An insectoid appeared. Knight tried to pull the trigger. He couldn’t, because he was totally paralyzed. Only his eyes could move. Two more insectoids appeared.

“Better get rid of this dangerous weapons, you might hurt yourself,” Tarsus said and altered the settings of the rifle. They removed it from Knight’s grip.

The other insectoids went in and took care of the occupied SW soldiers which were also paralyzed now.

“Your efforts are futile, but were expected. Nevertheless, you will rest now and think over your actions. Trying this too often might lead us to get bored of you. Then you will end up as lab rat. Imprisoned for a long life doing nothing and sometimes get probed,” Tarsus raised the rifle and shot. Two more shots went off in this hall.

 

“We are through. I send the laser back to the lift,” Newman informed Ryan.

“Good. I send the scientist back and SW-4 to cover you,” Ryan