By Nathan Veyon
“Alice, are you sure you properly calculated the accelerant?” Alpha set the custom incendiary at the base of the wall. “These were meant for breaching reinforced alloys. They’ll vaporize this wood.”
His AI’s smooth voice answered. “I performed a thorough study of the combustibility of wooden structures. The combustion should be appropriate for burning down the building.”
Alpha walked into what appeared to be a kitchen. He stared at the wooden table and chairs. He’d never seen something so valuable yet mundane. In space, wood was a luxury preserved in epoxy and ornately designed. But this stuff was crudely built, designed simply to serve its purpose. He positioned another incendiary. “Alice, go ahead and activate the devices after I place them.”
“Activating now.”
A fizzing noise crackled through Alpha’s speakers as the modified incendiaries’ thermal reaction began. He checked his HUD. The cabin would quickly ignite, but his suit should be fine at these temperatures. All sensors appeared to be normal. His filtration system would soon be useless, so he switched to his suit’s internal oxygen. The scent of processed air reminded him of his ship in geosync orbit above him.
He set another charge. It was weird returning to Orion-83446-b for this corporate takeover job. Four months ago, he’d been hired to prevent something just like it. But freelancing was the job, and Omnitech wanted all residents off-planet—no matter how isolated they were. If this didn’t work, Omnitech would probably require more aggressive and permanent measures. And Alpha’s fee would be appropriately larger.
An alert indicated rising CO levels. He looked back at the surprising amount of smoke filling the house. A sharp, repeating noise sounded from somewhere in the haze. Infrared had become useless, so he switched to sonic mapping.
He followed the noise to an alcove where a small, dog-like animal barked frantically. Alpha crouched as it backed against the wall, yelping its defiance. The creature had found a temporary haven from the flames. He switched back to normal air to test if the pet was smelling smoke. He briefly noticed a pleasant, rustic aroma, but sharp, acrid smoke quickly seared his nose and throat. He switched back to internal air; the familiar scent helped him focus. The creature’s barks grew more labored. Alpha lifted his foot, activated the thruster, and smashed his knee through the wall. He kicked again to widen the hole. Grabbing the dog, he tossed it through.
A loud roar erupted behind him. He turned around to find an inferno raging, the fresh oxygen fueling the blaze.
Alpha focused on breathing that comforting scent of sanitized air as he strode through the blaze to the back of the house. He was almost done. Just needed to make sure the last of the building would burn, and he could leave. It was probably unnecessary now, but he hurried into the bedroom and set the last incendiary. As he turned, he noticed another door. Looking inside, he found a small room filling with smoke. And a boy lying on a cot.
Alpha sucked a large breath of sanitized air. The parents were fixing an antenna he’d sabotaged as a diversion. But what parents left their child alone in the middle of nowhere? These settler types were supposed to be all about family. He activated his HUD’s medical sensors. The readouts indicated the boy was still alive.
Alpha’s HUD showed the temperature rising as the flames licked closer. This rescue would have to be fast.
He activated his suit’s lasers and fired two bursts into the wall. Hoping this wouldn’t feed the fire like the other hole, he thruster-jumped his whole body at the wall. It splintered easily. Stepping back in, he grabbed the boy and threw him over his shoulder. Alpha hurried through the new opening, away from the burning building.
“He needs oxygen.”
“I can see that, Alice.” Alpha deactivated his HUD and removed his helmet, then placed it over the boy’s head. Damp earthy smells assaulted him. The pleasant, smoky aroma returned, but it reminded him of the overwhelming acrid fumes from before. He turned and smelled a nearby flowering vine. He remembered his mother holding him at night outside their house where he grew up. Another odor hit him as the dog from earlier ran up. It sniffed at the boy, then ran around barking. The boy started convulsing. Alpha pulled the helmet off him and placed it back on his own head.
The boy rolled onto his hands and knees, alternating between hacking and gasping.
Alpha took a deep, calming breath and reactivated his HUD. His medical diagnostic software indicated the boy’s vitals were improving.
The boy’s coughing slowed, and he fell on his side.
Alpha stood up, “Kid, you need to get off the planet.” Red, watery eyes looked into his faceplate. “Do you understand me?” The boy nodded, though his slack face wasn’t convincing.
The cabin was fully engulfed now, and part of the roof had caved in. The parents would have seen the smoke and be returning soon. Alpha did not plan to stick around for their arrival. He sat the kid on the grass and headed toward his jump ship, skirting the blaze.
It wasn’t far. He climbed into the pilot’s seat and engaged the autopilot targeting his ship in orbit. “Alice, alert Omnitech that I completed the mission. Make sure I get paid. I’m going to take a nap.”
The docking of the jump ship woke Alpha. He climbed through the hatch and removed his helmet. He took a deep breath of processed air. “Did the payment go through?”
“Yes. Also, the life-signs satellite array indicates the family is moving toward the space port. The outer areas appear to be clear.”
Alpha felt a tickle in his nostrils. The memory of sharp, biting smoke rose unbidden. “Alice, monitor the satellites. We leave as soon as they confirm the job is done.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yo, this is epic, dude! I really love the vibe and the atmosphere of it all. I want to know more about Alpha and Alice and this universe they live in. This is definitely your best work I’ve read so far. :D