An Unlikely Friend. part 1

Chapter 31: It Couldn't be Worse

Isis

Isis watches from her seat as the young boy she had seen almost a year ago in New Lur, walks off the stage with an escort of Erohsian guards dressed for the ceremonious occasion.

She shakes her head. Should be a real escort…

Isis bites her lip as the ceremony continues and forces herself to politely talk with the other people at her table during the short breaks between presentations. After the Erohsian and Borukin speeches about the new age of friendship to come, she even stands up and applauds with the rest. Finally the ceremonies conclude and the food is served. She grabs her knife and fork, slides it into a tender herb roasted chicken breast, and slices a piece. Steam rises from the fresh cut, bringing with it an assortment of flavors that tickles her nose.

CRACK. CRACK. CRACK.

Everyone in the half-domed banquet room drops their utensils and turn to the entrance; several groups of people have already jumped under their table. Flashes of more Aether weapons zip through the doors and shatter portions of the glass dome behind them. An Erohsian guard stumbles back from the entrance and slumps to the ground. Other guards slam the double doors closed and rush to wedge them shut with furniture.

“We're under attack!” Someone yells.

Thanks you moron. Isis calmly pulls up the holographic screen on her wrist computer and accesses the building security system as the banquet room erupts into chaos. She clicks on the emergency button, which triggers the alarm.

Almost immediately a video feed of the security officer pops up. “What's the situation Ma'am? We detected weapon fire on the 60th floor.”

“The banquet room is under attack by unknown hostiles. Send in help and set up a combat channel for notifications and orders through me.”

“Yes Ma’am.” The video feed cuts out.

Isis selects a security camera of the hall outside the banquet room. A group of Erohsians are taking up defensive positions against attack from the direction of the elevator and are preparing to set a charge to blow through the doors of the banquet room. Erohsians? What the heck’s going on?

The guards inside the banquet room have gathered at the door and continue to stack anything they can find on the barricade.

Isis grabs a pistol from one of the injured guards. “Pull that junk out of the way, I need to open this door.”

One of the guards stops and looks at her. “Ma'am?”

“Just do it!” She looks back at her holographic screen and the security camera shows two Erohsians finalizing the charge on the banquet door. They stand up and run back for cover. Just as the door is cleared, Isis pulls it open, fires her pistol randomly down the hall and snatches the explosive. She dives out of the way as Aether rounds tear chunks out of the door. In an instant she looks over the explosive and pulls out the detonators. She turns her eyes away just as they pop, burning the tips of her fingers. She lets out a breath. That was too close.

She waves the other guards back to the door. “What are you waiting for? Barricade the doors.”

The thuds on the doors from the enemy slow and Isis pulls up her wrist computer. The hostiles have moved forward again and are kicking at the doors with little effect.

Good, only one explosive with them.

She pulls up the combat channel and sends a note that the hostiles appear to be Erohsians and are dressed in military uniform. Isis walks over to General Lark and the Borukin king, who is surrounded by his guards.