Maniacs: 01 - The Krittika Conflict Read online

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Maniacs: The Krittika Conflict

  By Nick S. Thomas

  Copyright © 2013 Nick S. Thomas

  Published by Swordworks Books

  All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  Chapter 1

  Sharini II, Deneb System.

  FROM THE WIKIWORLD ENTRY -

  A former mining colony now occupied by smugglers, thieves, and others who have fled or been banished from worlds of The Alliance of Free Worlds, and the United Systems of VASI. Inhabitants exhibit no allegiance to either side of the war and are typically hostile to all. WARNING FROM THE INTERPLANETARY PEACEKEEPING AGENCY (IPA) - avoid any travel to or within the system.

  "We've got another one, boys!"

  "Hell, yeah!"

  "Wohoo!"

  The three triumphant scumbags traipsed past the cellblocks with arrogant swaggers and greasy smiles. One hit the bars of the cell door with the stock of his rifle. The girl inside winced on every impact. Her pain and suffering only brought further pleasure to her captors. She was just fifteen years old and had never experienced how harsh life could be until a few days before. Several more thugs cheered at the sight of their latest haul.

  Two of the goons dragged a body along, a woman who couldn't be much older than twenty. Blood dripped from her forehead where she had been knocked unconscious, but she was beginning to regain composure. Her vision was still blurred, but she could tell by her surroundings that they were a long way from civilization. Her head was dropped as she was being hauled along over the shoulders of two of the stinking excuses for human beings.

  The tips of her shoes were digging trenches in the dirt and grime of the floor. Some of it looked like dried blood that had been there for years. She could smell the salty and putrid smell of her captors’ sweat. It was only overpowered by the disgusting smell of whatever they had cooking in a far off room. They passed the first girl’s cell and reached the next. She was thrown inside like a ragdoll. Her instincts and muscle memory did all they could do to breakfall safely onto the hard metal floor. She saved herself from any injury, but it still hurt like hell as she rolled onto her face.

  "Who'd you think she is?" asked one.

  "Fuck knows, someone with money, or with a rich mommy and daddy at least. Someone who'll care enough to cough up whatever we want."

  "Shame, she'd be a real treat for the lads."

  "You know the rules. Nobody touches the girls while there's any chance we'll get paid for 'em."

  He grunted and walked off in disappointment. The other two looked down at the body of the girl. She was average height, slim and athletically built. Blond curly hair was tied back, but it was clear she normally spent plenty of time on it. She wore close fitting combat trousers, tall matching boots, a khaki blouse, and tan leather body warmer. She had the look of a woman trying to dress down, but the individual cost and cut of every item she wore betrayed her intentions.

  "Posh girl, aren't ya? Well we have seen plenty come and go through here. You better hope someone cares enough to pay for you, or you'll be next week’s entertainment!"

  They slammed the door shut, and a booming echo pulsed through her ears, straining her already aching head. Gone was the stinking smell of old sweat, replaced by the putrid smell of urine and damp. She felt like hurling, but coughed up blood instead.

  "Are you okay?" came a faint voice.

  It was the first friendly voice she'd heard all day and staggered to her feet. It was coming from the other cell they had passed on the way in. She grasped the bars of the cell door to support her and replied, "What is this place?"

  "Hell."

  "What?"

  "Where you stay till somebody pays your ransom, or anyone else pays enough to have you for themselves."

  She shook her head in disbelief.

  "What's your name?"

  The older girl hesitated for a moment, as she tried to make sense of it all despite her pounding headache. She was about to reply with her name when she reconsidered her answer for a second before finally answering.

  "Erin, you?"

  "Skylar...Gutierrez."

  Erin knew the name immediately.

  "The Gutierrez Corporation, your his daughter? Sure you want to be throwing that name around here?"

  "It's the only thing that'll keep me alive and...untouched. My father will come for me. Is there anyone coming for you?"

  She was silent as she thought about it for a moment. In theory there would be, but she had to be very careful about revealing her identity.

  I'm a long way from home, and it's anyone's guess what they'll do if they find out who I am, she thought but didn't say.

  "I hope so," she replied.

  Screams rang out from down the corridor, and the two girls clung to the doors to try and see the cause of it. The painful cries were getting louder until one of the kidnappers passed them. He was pulling a girl down the corridor by her hair. He stopped at Erin's door.

  "This one's daddy didn't feel like paying up. That's okay, more perks to this job than just the cash!" he yelled, breaking out into a horrible laugh as he carried on down the corridor.

  * * *

  "This is my last gig, so let's do this right," said Carter across the radio.

  He looked over to the other vehicle and to his soon to be successor Mason who stood atop it. Mason nodded in acknowledgement as he turned back to the heavy calibre machine gun and slid the safety off. It was 1300 hours, and they were racing across open terrain in the clear light of day. The surface was a dusty wasteland, and the sun beat down hard without any cloud cover to save them from the fiery rays.

  Mason was in his mid-thirties and was of average height but of strong build. He wore tan combat trousers and black body armour that was so dusty and faded it almost blended into the dusky landscape. A moisture wicking shirt ended at his elbows, revealing his muscular forearms. On his head was a compact and close fitting helmet, and slim line goggles kept the debris from his eyes. His armour was adorned with so many magazines of ammunition and grenades it looked like he was set for war, not a rescue operation.

  A combat knife was suspended upside down on the chest of his armour ready for quick release, and a long barrelled pistol holstered on his thigh. Every part of his equipment was well worn and heavily used. He knelt forward to speak to the driver.

  "Hell of a day for it!"

  Ben Liu was at the wheel and wiped is sleeve around his mouth to soak up the sweat as he agreed.

  "Why would anyone choose to live here?"

  The metal armoured plates of the vehicle were hot
enough to cook on, and their destination up ahead was a hazy blur. Mason looked over to see Josiah and Peter were standing patiently in the other vehicle, with their weapons at the ready as if they didn't even notice the heat that made the air so thick. The two old timers had been there since the beginning. He looked back and could see the target was now in sight.

  The core of the kidnappers’ base was a large freight vessel that had been long abandoned. It had expanded to become a small town for the low life scum who chose to dwell there. Mason had studied the surveillance images for hours on end, and he felt like he had lived there among them. It was rare they were able to carry out such a noble mission, so he wanted to do it right.

  "Feels good to be doing a good thing, doesn't it, Liu?"

  "A missing kid in the hands of scum like this? It was always my worst nightmare."

  He could tell Liu took it to heart more than any of them. His old detective training and experience reminding him of kidnappings he'd worked in the past. They could see the sentries at the edge of the smuggler town, but the dust their vehicles were kicking up was hiding their true firepower and intentions.

  Here we go, he thought to himself.

  A five metre ramshackle wall surrounded the town and seamlessly joined onto the hull of the old freighter. Two watch towers rose up from behind the walls, and they could already see a hive of activity from those stationed on them. Mason turned the gun around on its mounts and took quick aim at the tower. He turned one last time to look at the Boss, Carter, who merely gave him the nod to give the green light.

  Mason was the first to pull the trigger. Killing low life scum gave him little pause for thought. The heavy weapons opened up on both vehicles as they got within a hundred metres of the walls. The laser weapons pulsated so loudly as they fired it was almost deafening. The vibrations could be felt through the frames of the trucks when the towers at the gate exploded almost in sequence, and they could hear the screams and shouts of panic as the debris smashed to the ground either side of the walls.

  At just fifty metres from the tall gates the two guns were turned on the entrance and riddled it with fire, but they did not slow down. The large steel bumpers, reinforced by bars running the length of the chassis, smashed into the weakened structure. The impact barely slowed the two trucks as they burst through the entrance. Just a few lasers zipped past as they steamed in, but the relentless gunfire from the fire breathing trucks did not slow either.

  Mason's vehicle was in the lead, and he quickly caught sight of the second defensive line that he recognised instantly. It was an anti aircraft quad laser. It looked almost a hundred years old but no less effective than it ever was. As he swivelled the gun around to bring his target to bear, a cry of panic came from Liu.

  "Take it out!"

  The quad gun spun quickly to lock onto their truck and got off the first few shots before Mason could fire. The first hit the thickened ram front of the vehicle and was absorbed but shunted them violently off course. The second shot skimmed the upper framework half a metre from Mason's head, and he felt the burn singe the stubble on his chin. He barely managed to keep a grip on the weapon, squeezing the trigger before they were vaporised by the onslaught.

  The lasers hit the thin metal shield that was protection against debris and fragmentation only. Mason's fire punctured through with no resistance, cutting the quad gun in half. The top section flew off and hit a parked vehicle, crushing one of the kidnappers; what remained was a twisted wreck.

  "Fuck, yeah!" yelled Mason.

  Liu breathed a sigh of relief, realising they had come within a split second of instant death. Lasers rushed past their flank as Carter's vehicle kept up the assault. They had lost only a little of their momentum, and the two guns continued raining down fire on the base. Incongruous characters were crawling out from every hole, to be cut down by the relentless heavy guns.

  Mason spun the gun around to spray the flanks racing for the entrance of the old freighter.

  "Hold on!" Liu shouted.

  He turned as they hit the ramp. It had just enough headroom for the vehicle to fit through, but not with him standing up. He ducked under in time and took a deep breath. He'd almost forgotten and came close to losing his head. The vehicle was at the top of the ramp in seconds and smashed into tables and chairs, in what was a makeshift dining and gambling area.

  The two trucks slid to a halt; the wheels locking under the pressure of the braking. As they stopped, one of the kidnappers jumped on one and put a pistol through the side of the driver's hatch, but Liu opened the door and kicked it hard. The heavy metal plate smashed into the guy’s stomach, forcing him to keel over. His gun fired up into the ceiling.

  Liu leapt from the truck and onto the lowly goon before he could recover. He launched forward with a knee into the head. The man flew back against a nearby table, cracking his back over it. Liu continued forward with no mercy. He took hold of the pistol hand and struck the inner elbow with a knife hand. The gun arced around into the goon's face.

  "No, no!" he screamed in fear.

  Liu forced the man's own finger back on the trigger, and a laser struck him dead in the face, killing him instantly. Mason jumped from the truck in time to see the brutality from his colleague. It was nothing new in his line of work, but it was coming from the former detective. He could see in his face that the situation really got to his friend.

  "Go!" Carter ordered.

  The other team was already past them and heading for the starboard corridor. Liu reached over to his rifle, which was slung on the side of the dusty truck, and quickly followed Mason to the port side. Cries of panic echoed down the corridor. Three gang members rushing towards the sounds of chaos quickly met them, but they were ill prepared for what was hitting them.

  Mason and Liu were at a jogging pace, descending on them with their rifles firmly set in the shoulder, and firing before their opponents could even lift the pistols from their sides. The shots took the thugs off their feet and planted them firmly on the deck of the old ship, but Mason did not stop. The two ran over the bloodied bodies without breaking stride. The faint smell of burning flesh crept into Mason's nostrils as he passed the bodies. It was a putrid and disgusting odour that had become so familiar to him he could ignore it. If anything, it reassured him that his shots had met their targets.

  "Another twenty metres and swing a right," said Liu.

  He reached the turning up ahead and slid to a halt in shock. Liu saw the glow of high power lasers light up the corridor they were entering and spotted Mason's hesitation. He grabbed the back of his body armour, hauling him back as a flurry of laser fire flashed past. Mason took a deep breath.

  "Second hurdle," he stated.

  Liu nodded.

  "Carter's behind schedule."

  "Carter, where the fuck are you?" Mason shouted through the comms.

  Gunfire followed as the response came through.

  "Dealing with some shit, hang on!" yelled Carter.

  "That's nice," he said to Liu.

  The fire let up for a second, and he took a quick peak around the corner but recoiled even quicker when another hail of laser fire screamed past his face. He lifted up his wrist to check the time.

  "Fuck, come on, come on."

  “We aren’t going anywhere like this!”

  As the last word came out, a large explosion rang out, and several large pieces of the weapon that had been firing at them flew past the corridor entrance beside them.

  “All right, that’s it, go!”

  They rushed out from the cover to find the corridor scattered with twisted metal and rubble. Two of the kidnappers lay dead near the side of the weapon, and Mason caught sight of Carter’s team approaching from the other side.

  “Cells are this way,” he added, as they took a turn at the junction.

  As Carter led the way past the wreckage, a huge blade flashed across, making him stop quickly. A hulking brute of a man flew past in front of him. The blade carved into the wall in fron
t of them. Carter quickly responded with a knee into his gut, but the strike barely made the man flinch. He swung the blade around to cut at Carter’s head. He ducked down, and the blade hit the far sidewall.

  Mason looked for a shot, but it couldn’t be made safely with the Boss between him and the thug. Carter lifted his rifle, but the man grabbed it by the barrel, ripping it from his hands, and delivering a brutal punch to his face with the blade still in his hands. The blow hit like a train and wobbled his legs. Mason caught him as he fell back and threw him forward towards the thug.

  The clumsy kidnapper took a hard swing that Carter ducked under and passed by. It was Mason’s turn to weigh in, and he did so without hesitation. He knew he couldn’t risk a shot with the Boss on the other side, so he leapt forward and drew his knife from his chest. His rifle dropped down to his side as their attacker came at him. He reached forward with his offhand to parry the blade at the wrist wielding it. His arm almost buckled under the strength of attack, but he held as he thrust his blade into the man's neck.

  The blade seemingly missed the windpipe of the thug's thick neck, but it caused enough pain for him to drop his machete-like cleaver. Mason grabbed his rifle and smashed the stock into his face. He stumbled back against the sidewall. The thug grabbed the knife in an attempt to draw it out. Mason was impressed with his resolve and toughness, but was no less inclined to spare his life.

  A burst of laser fire rang out from the Boss. The man was dead. Mason looked over to see Carter breathe a sigh of relief as blood trickled from his mouth.

  "Getting too old for this shit," he muttered.

  "Yeah, you are," replied Mason.

  "Your vote of confidence is overwhelming," Carter grunted.

  "Sure is good to have friends."

  Mason carried on at the lead. They reached the cellblocks and found no resistance at all. Everyone guarding it had already been dealt with, but they knew the scene outside would be wholly different. The body of a girl lay on the floor at the entrance to the cellblocks. She had a laser burn on the side of her head.