Time Salvager (Time Salvager #1)(117)
The two stood close together, their noses almost touching. Their exos meshed like oil and water, pushing against each other, small crackles of energy shooting out and producing bursts and arcs. Even without checking, Levin could feel his exo weakening and losing its integrity. He couldn’t match her raw energy output, and now that he was inside her field, she had effectively imprisoned him.
“I warned you not to challenge me,” she continued. “Consider this your official retirement from Chrono—”
A blast from the side knocked Kuo to the ground, and her exo shield flickered. She spun and lashed out, catching one of the monitors in the chest and throwing him back against the far wall ten meters away. The man crumpled to the ground in a heap. Then, another blow struck her, causing her to stumble. Then another. Before Levin realized what had happened, one of the monitors was picking him off the floor.
“You are injured, Auditor. Allow me to assist you,” she said, face grim and determined. “We apologize for disobeying orders, and submit to your judgment after this issue has been resolved.”
Levin watched, eyes moist and pride bursting from his heart, as three dozen monitors beat Kuo back, peppering her with wrist beams. He even saw a few of the engineers joining the fray with more conventional weapons.
Kuo lashed out with her trunk, leveling monitors three and four at a time, but not even her powerful exo could handle the sustained barrage. Levin was about to join the fight and help his people when that same monitor held him back.
“Auditor, you’re injured. We have this situation under control.”
For the first time, he realized his left arm was broken, probably from when Kuo was squeezing the life out of him. The monitor pulled him to the back of the hangar, to five of the engineers, and ordered them to keep Levin there. At first, he was startled that a mere monitor dared order him around. He reminded himself to find that woman’s name later on. Certain monitors’ real mettle came through in moments of crisis. The monitor left to join in the fight. When Levin tried to leave again, the five engineers blocked his path.
“Fine,” he grumbled. His levels were drained anyway, and he would just be a liability. Levin understood the difference between bravery and foolishness. He became a spectator in his own fight with Securitate Kuo, watching as the monitors who saved his life wore her down, taking heavy damage in the process. Kuo was becoming desperate and tried to take to the air to escape. The monitors were ready for that. One of them brought out an exo-chain, most often used to contain fugitive chronmen. The chain hit her exo and latched on, preventing her from escaping its pull.
Eventually, they cracked her exo and pulled her down to the ground. The group of monitors closed in, dozens of wrist beams aimed at her exposed body while four held her by the arms and pushed her down to her knees. The monitors parted as Levin limped—it seemed he had hurt his leg as well—toward her. He stopped and surveyed the hangar. Evidence of their battle was everywhere. At least ten collies were destroyed, and the bodies of dozens of his people lay motionless on the ground.
“It seems your army of ants had to do the job you couldn’t,” she spat, twisting back, lunging at him. “You will pay for this. All of you will.”
One of the monitors standing to the side punched her in the jaw and aimed his wrist beam at her temple.
“No,” Levin said, pushing the monitor’s arm away. “This isn’t our role. We send her scurrying back where she came from.”
“She killed our men, Auditor,” the monitor gasped.
Levin shook his head. “There will be a price to pay for what just has transpired. Be sure that I’m the only one that will pay it. For now, take her to the brig and see that she can harm no one else.” He looked over at the men crowding around him. “We have injured brothers. Get them to the medical ward.” He swung his arm in circles and tested his aching shoulder. It would have to do. His work wasn’t done yet. “Prep a collie and get me a set of fresh bands.”
FORTY-FOUR
DISCOVERED
The warning came just as the Elfreth were coming together for their evening meal in the communal field. Elise had made the journey down the Farming Tower to sit with Franwil and Qawol to discuss her progress. Well, that and to ask for permission to assign Sammuia to be Grace’s assistant.
Currently, without someone officially at her beck and call, Grace had made a habit of expecting Elise to run errands for her, which was an unacceptable setup. That old witch—today was one of their more terse days—was being downright ornery. No sooner did she see Franwil, and beamed her a smile, Grace yelled—she also sometimes had trouble remembering to use her inside voice—into her head.
“Child, they’ve found us. Warn the others. Get everyone underground. Now!”
“Who? Wha—oh no!”
Elise took off in a sprint, narrowly avoiding bowling over a group of children who were playing volleyball with a fish-hide ball. She had taught them the twenty-first-century’s most popular sport out of boredom, and now they played it every chance they got.
“Get inside,” she called to them as she ran up to Qawol. “Oldest, chronmen come!”
Qawol, looking anything but hurried, nodded and laid a hand on Franwil’s arm. “Gather the Old Ones to the shelter. Have each recall their purposes. Make sure Mcllel’s purpose is to cover the escape of the others. I will call the guardians.” Without a word, several of the Old Ones nearby began to corral the children east toward one of the underground tunnels. He looked back at Elise. “How many and how soon?”