Starship Armstrong - Season 1

Part 69 - Dragon Slayers (XVIII)

Mitzner and Gul on their own moved much faster than the larger group dragging a ruined shuttle, and they caught up to the others long before they had arrived back at the city. Gibson took the two aside and they explained what they had seen, and their theory about the artificial religion.

"It's not completely implausible," said Gibson "We know for sure the Dragon had memetic weapons of some kind."

"I don't see any other reasonable explanation for the behavior of the Cairnians and the sudden appearance of that giant ion cannon," said Mitzner "That means all those people over there, the Carinians, they're innocent victims in all this. We have to protect them."

"That rules out attacking the cannon from space," said Gibson "There would be massive collateral damage."

"If we attack them directly it would be the same result: more blood on our hands," said Mitzner "We need to go in commando style. Have a small team infiltrate the city and sabotage the cannon. Maybe take out the Dragon at the same time."

"That would appear to be our best option at the moment," agreed Gibson.

"Great," said Mitzner "Ensign Gul and I can leave immediately."

"What about that wound of yours," said Gibson, pointing to where the arrow had struck the Lieutenant-Commander. Her white uniform was soaked through with blood on one side.

"It's just an arrow wound," said Mitzner "If that's all it took to stop me I'd be long stopped."

"We're on a terraformed alien world," said Gibson "That makes you highly vulnerable to infection."

"If it makes you feel any better it's already infected," said Mitzner.

"Well that settles it then. You're going to stay here, Lieutenant-Commander. Ensign Gul and I will go."

"That's ridiculous," said Mitzner.

"Nonetheless those are my orders," said Gibson.

"Even with a dozen arrow wounds I'd still be the best person for this job," said Mitzner "I was literally made for this sort of thing."

"This isn't open for discussion. Ensign Gul, we're heading out immediately."

Gul looked to Mitzner.

"This is my fight, Lieutenant Commander. That's why I came here; to kill that thing for what it did or to die trying."

"Just go," said Mitzner, darkly.

"You can return to the city with Asher and the rest of the caravan," said Gibson "I'm certain Dr. Kang will be able to do something to help you with your infection."

"I would rather die in unspeakable agony than allow that monster to perform medicine on me," said Mitzner.

"Do what you like," said Gibson "Come on, Ensign."

* * *

Commander Gibson and Ensign Gul waited for the cover of darkness, and then crept into the Cairnian city. The place was a city now only out of a sense of tradition. It was really a circle of rubble surrounding the ion cannon.

The giant ion cannon was lit up with a carnival of haphazardly assembled lights, mostly candles and gas lanterns, but the rest of the city was smothered in darkness. It wasn't difficult for two lone men to move through the dirt and rubble undetected.

Shadows moving about the lit area around the cannon showed that most of the townsfolk were still hard at work on the thing, constantly improving and re-calibrating it according to the instructions of their mysterious god. Their shadows flickered as they passed each other tools and climbed scaffolding.

"I'm going to plant the package," whispered Gibson "You hold back and if I'm spotted provide cover fire."

"What do we do if it's shielded?" asked Gul.

"I'm using a shaped charge with an ionic disruptor wave," replied Gibson "Should defeat any kind of shielding the Dragon will have been able to build."

"Should?"

"One can never account for everything."

"Let me do it," said Gul "I want to plant the charge."

"Don't get emotional," said Gibson "My brain has built-in procedures to deal with memetic weaponry. If I go there's less chance of me being compromised."

"That's the thing that killed Keo. I have to do it."

"I'm not going to let you compromise this mission just because you want to personally harpoon your white whale," said Gibson "This isn't up for discussion, Ensign."

"You'll die if your plan doesn't work," said Gul "You'll almost certainly die even if it does. This is something I'm prepared to die for. If you aren't similarly prepared, then you will fail."

Gibson turned back to look at the Ensign in the dim starlight. His look was one of resignation, not bloodlust or madness.

"Once you set it you'll have two minutes to get clear," said Gibson, handing Gul the bomb and a small controller "You can use this to set it off early."

"Thank you, Commander," said Gul.

"I'm not doing you any favors," said Gibson.