When War Calls(41)

‘We must lay siege upon Waikor in three weeks,’ said Alkon as they reached the second door of three buildings. ‘These mountains are to be mined. Be sure we are ready.’

‘It will be done, General,’ said Liet.

Alkon then pressed a button on an intercom. ‘This is General Zaccarah,’ he said, and at once the door opened, the electronic mechanism unlocked. He put one foot inside before turning to Liet, ‘Your word.’

Liet bowed a little, ‘None shall hear of this.’

Satisfied, Alkon entered the building with Liet close behind him. Over the years, the Alliance had perfected the creation of new military bases, able to construct them almost entirely within a matter of days. These were temporary placements, thick metal walls, ceilings and floors and nothing more, held steady by claw-like clamps that dug deep into the ground outside. They would use these dwellings for as long as they remained, and then they would take them down again to be used at their next location. It was the way of the unit always on the move. The method of conquering the world was to do it as quickly and efficiently as possible, often leaving behind either complete destruction, or a small post using what buildings there already were in the nation. Those of Callibra had been deemed unsuitable and were demolished, leaving these temporary structures as the only buildings standing in the valley. If they were to leave anything behind here, it would be a small post of maybe one or two buildings and nothing more.

Alkon and Liet stood idle inside the building as men in white coats roamed around several collapsible gray-top benches in silence, hard at work. They were placing various items and instruments upon each, along with empty canisters and other equipment. This would be the laboratory of the Equan scientists, some of the most highly regarded in their respective fields. It had been with their help that the Alliance had been able to defeat so many of the greater nations. With major strides taken in weaponry, fuels and drugs for slave mind control, the Equai were often treated as the most valuable resource they had.

Alkon had personally requested a team to be assembled and to accompany him, so that research might be conducted in the newly conquered lands. It was only due to his flawless history that the High Council of the Alliance had approved without question. Men of science were often allowed on missions, but none of the importance as the Equai, for fear of crucial information and talents being lost.

Alkon spotted the scientist for whom he had been searching. ‘Ethan,’ he called out.

A man unloading a crate turned to face him. His hair was long and dark like Alkon’s, but tightly tied back away from his face. His expression was uneasy, the skin on his high cheekbones drawn back slightly and his eyes almost in a glare, as if he had just encountered an unnecessary and aggravating disturbance. His lips and cleanly shaven jaw were at ease, composed delicately as if only to contradict the apparent madness behind his eyes.

‘General, I was not expecting your presence,’ he said, his voice calm, almost musical in its softness.

‘I must apologise for my sudden appearance, the decision to be here was not planned.’ With an open hand, palm facing up, Alkon pointed toward Liet. ‘I have with me my second-in-command. He wishes to see the project.’

For the briefest instant, Ethan almost seemed critical, but then thought better of disobeying his commander and nodded.

‘Come this way,’ he said, walking out of the first room and into the next where they were away from the other scientists. ‘With more time, this will become our testing area,’ he explained casually, walking through the first section of the room, through the empty space between some wooden crates and benches and then standing by the door at the farthest side.

‘The latest work is in no condition to be tested,’ Ethan went on, ‘but I can arrange for a demonstration with our previous model.’

‘It will suffice,’ assured Alkon.

With another nod, Ethan exited the room briefly into another and returned with two other scientists. They carried with them a black padded crate that they set down carefully by one of the benches facing the wall to Alkon’s left. Two more scientists came after, carrying three stands of a sort and a sheet of square metal, two inches in width. They placed the metal in the first stand fifteen feet away from the bench, and then the other two stands facing one another in front. The stands were then connected to a power source before the men left the room.

Ethan and the remaining men lifted a strange machine up out of the crate and onto the bench. It looked unfinished, much of its hardware still visible as well as wires messily wrapped through large gas canisters on either side. There were coils through the centre and a partly mirrored tube almost twelve inches wide, which was pointed toward the sheet of metal in the stand.