Null Specter Station! Chapter Eleven: Watching

 

The Imperial facility spread out before them on the flat top of the mountain. Even in the darkness, the white walls of the buildings seemed to shine, laid out with typical Imperial efficiency. Other than the occasional scream from the creatures that now seemed to control it, the area was shrouded in deadly silence. Each step the men took sounded like thunder, no matter how softly they tried to tread. A hangar door yawned at the base of the main complex, beckoning them towards an area so black that none dared to guess what lay within. Various small outer buildings and stacks of creates and supplies seemed to provide safe concealment in which they could hide as they advanced, but the men remained in the open. Somewhere up here, the creatures lay in wait. More intelligent than the files suggested, they had baited them with a trap and all the rebels could do was hope to survive.

“Look,” whispered Krenyo, “up there, the survivors.” He gestured towards the small light at the highest peak of the complex. “Wonder how we get up.”

“Not through there anyway.” Answered Impy loudly, pointing at the open hangar doors. “Did we get a layout while we were in the computer?”

“Er..no.” Ben said awkwardly, “didn’t think of that.”

“Well, there’s another guard tower there, lets take a look.” Krenyo nodded towards the grey structure not far from their position. Cautiously they stepped towards it, weapons ever ready and constantly looking behind them. They reached the base without incident and looked nervously at the ladder that ascended to the top.

“Who’s first?” Impy said cheerily.

“How about you Mr Happy?” Benu didn’t know if Impy was actually enjoying this or was just trying to keep their spirits up. Whichever it was, the former stormtrooper merely shrugged and secured his weapon around his shoulder.

“Come out come out wherever you are!” he shouted up, before laughing and tossing something in his hands. “Well, if they are up there this should give me a couple seconds.” He pulled the pin on the EMP grenade and threw it lightly up the ladder, watching it bounce easily from the ceiling of the top room before dropping to the floor. Impy was already halfway up the ladder when the energy pulse burst out. Benu and Krenyo quickly followed, ready to fire on whatever lay in wait.

“Nothing.” Krenyo said it for them as they looked round the empty space. It was almost a replica of the outpost building they had checked earlier at the mountain pass. Again, the consoles lay broken. Chairs lay upturned and blood betrayed the violence that had taken place. Benu shivered at the thought of the poor men in here being ripped apart by their former comrades.

“Boss, they know where we’re going.” Impy was gazing out of the window at the only light in the facility. “They’re going to wait until we’re no longer able to retreat.”

“Yeah. I know.”

Silence descended again as they thought of the challenge ahead. Benu tapped away with his kit, trying to connect to the central computer once more. It didn’t take long to find a layout of the area and he beckoned Krenyo over to look.

“We’re here,” he said, pointing on the screen, “main facility is there. Not really much to it, main hangar, some small cross corridors and a couple rooms here and there. Most of the barracks are in the out buildings round back.”

“How do we get up there?” asked the Officer.

“Four ways. There are two staircases inside leading off from the hangar.”

“Forget that,” interrupted Impy, “I am not going in there.”

“Well, theres a small corridor with a ladder leading to an upper level, that opens out to the roof of that corridor and theres another ladder to the top.”

“Slightly more promising,” grunted Impy again, “anything else?”

“Yeah, single ladder round the back that leads all the way up from the ground.” Benu finished showing them the schematics and leaned back, “So, which one is it?”

Krenyo tapped a finger against his lip for a few seconds, mulling it over. “Can we get coms up there? Find out what they know?”

Benu shook his head. “Completely trashed. I think they took out the central server for those systems and I can’t relay the signal anymore.”

“Ok. Well, whichever route we choose we either have to go inside or pass a couple entrances right?” Krenyo looked at them and paused, “My vote is going for that external ladder.”

“Yeah,” nodded Impy enthusiastically, “I’m all for that. Let’s not go inside where they want us.”

“Won’t we be a little exposed on there?” asked Ben nervously, “If we go through the hangar we might be able to use the walker.”

“What walker?” Kreny and Impy chorused together surprised by the new information.

“There’s supposed to be a walker and a Firehawke in there according to the computer.” Answered Benu, a little happier now he was dealing with solid facts and not discussing the best way to avoid death. “Maybe they’re still functioning, we could grab one of them and use it.”

Krenyo laughed then quickly stopped when Benu frowned at him. “Sorry Ben, it’s a nice idea and all, but look around you. What do you think the chances are of those things working? Even if they do, we can’t get them up there.”

“Oh, yeah.” Ben sat back glumly, “Ok, rear ladder it is then.”

“Quick drink and a protein bar then we’ll go.” Impy stood up and stretched. “Those things waited this long for us, another few minutes won’t hurt. Oh, by the way boss, they know we’re here.”

“What makes you say that?” asked Krenyo standing up and joining Impy by the window. The ex-stromtrooper merely pointed towards the hangar. The ATST stood in the doorway, its head pointed towards them waiting patiently like an expectant predator.

“Well Ben, guess that walker works after all.”