Detonation Event, page 37
Devans leaned slightly toward the camera. “Reject the EFF. Reject those who have murdered thousands and still do in a warped effort to lighten the human footprint on Earth. Reject the EFF, who welcomed the Martian microbe that caused human child and infant mortality and adult sterilization. The Earth does not seek human destruction. Humans can exist in harmony with their home planet, and space will serve to lessen the human footprint upon Earth! Reject the EFF and their tyrannical false governments, their readjustment camps, their brainwashing public broadcasts, and their bloodied hands. We see what’s going on upon our home planet and are devastated. Reject the EFF and take back the free societies you once had!”
The holo shook despite Wagner’s stabilizing efforts as he continued to hover while holding the tripod and camera.
Devans noticed the frown deepen on Hamilton’s face. He turned to note the zigzag approach of the orb.
She pointed to it and grabbed Wagner’s shoulder.
The drone crested the mountain range just beyond the cauldron of lava in their immediate background. A beam of vibrating laser coils shot out like a lightning bolt from the top of the drone. The beam worked up and down through rock wall and lava base. Massive sheets of rock slid and tumbled thousands of feet, breaking off huge sections along the way and creating a massive rock slide that shattered into even smaller bits at ground level and plopped into the oozing river of lava where the after-splashes leaped high and splattered the surrounding rock and back onto itself.
“I’m doubting good intentions here,” Devans said. “Red alert, everyone.”
The beam became more intermittent as the drone hugged the rim wall and closed the distance toward them.
“This orb is most likely an attack from the EFF,” Devans said, his tone hardening as he spoke to the camera. “It’s not enough that you’ve soaked Earth red with human blood. It’s not enough to let us fend for ourselves in the barrens of space and a turbulent Mars. We will fight in return. We will find a way to survive.”
Then, to Trent. “Cut it.”
The thin air quivered around them. A hum started, similar to the one Trent Wagner’s spatz pistol gave but deeper. Stronger.
Devans hit max jets and shot between Hamilton and Wagner with his arms crooked. He caught each by the torso with audible grunts and hauled them over the deep expanse between their mountain and the next.
The drone’s spatz beam sliced into their newly carved ledge and cut rapidly back and forth.
The rock ledge vanished.
When he felt two sets of jets kick in, Devans released his groaning crewmates.
“I felt something give,” Hamilton said, taking a breath and probing her side.
“Yeah, same here,” Trent said.
Devans shouted. “Gwen, bug out! Repeat, bug out PS-13 and get some distance! Evasive maneuvers if you have to.”
“We’re not leaving without you guys,” came the reply. “We’ll scoop you and get the hell into space!”
“Negative,” Devans said. “Even a small spatz can pierce shuttle shields and get to the gooey center. Fly out of range. We’ll let it chase us. Maybe get lucky.” Devans drew his atomizer pistol. Inadequate, but the other two brandished theirs as well. The three fired on the incoming drone but it dodged.
“The hell…?” Devans murmured. “Geo drones are programmed for evasive maneuvers against falling rock, not spatz beams.”
“There’s a puppet master somewhere!” Hamilton said, firing but missing again.
“Shakuri’s working on it,” Burroughs said over the comm link. “Watch it, watch it, watch it!”
The drone swept high and fired down on them.
Acknowledgments
The writer would like to thank his stellar editors at Kensington Books, Michaela Hamilton and James Abbate, for their insights and guidance. They have provided both pathway and oasis in an often barren publishing world.
About the Author
Photo by Jason Autry
John Andrew Karr writes of the strange and spectacular. He enjoys creating fantasy, paranormal, horror, and science fiction, having self-published novels in all these genres. He’s a North Carolina resident, IT worker, and all-around family guy. For more, please visit him at johnandrewkarr.com.
John Andrew Karr, Detonation Event
