Betrayal (Part Two of Two)

Cortisan led the away team through a grove a trees which opened into a clearing. There in the clearing was a rather large formation of rocks that stood about a good 150 meters high. In the center was large hole which Cortisan pointed to. "That is the entrance to our dwelling."

"Okay." Phanan said. That was a major tactical disadvantage, one way so accessible and so confining. "Commander Toran with your permission, I want to deploy my fire teams to establish a safety perimeter."

"Cortisan. Major Phanan does have a point. This place doesn't look very well protected." Toran said concerned for his people's safety as of the Coreans.

"Commander..." Began Cortisan. "......do what you must, but look over there in the treeline." In the treeline it took a minute, but position about every 25 feet were small towers about three feet high. They surrounded the clearing. "Those are antipersonnel batteries that are on constant readiness."

"Then why didn't they fire at us ?" Sharpe retorted.

"They are presently deactivated."

"Why ?" Katts asked.

Cortisan said nothing but pointed to the base of the rock formation. There nestled at its base was a bunker. He said nothing more but continued on followed by the away team. Toran looked at Phanan and discreetly nodded his head. Phanan deployed his troops around the perimeter and walked the clearing. As they neared the bunker in it they noticed that there were four other Corean armed to the hilt. One was decked in a massive suit that had tanks on the back of it.

"Cortisan...." Began Commander Heim. "....what is that ?"

"That is what we call a firebat. Very limited though. They use a flaming type of weapon. The Z'Terul do not like fire. That is about the only thing that really will save us fire. Ironic huh ? The one destructive force in the galaxy is also the same saving grace."

"I see your point. Rashad said following the ascent up the rock formation.

The cavern was just small enough for two to enter at a time. They had to duck their heads slightly or they would have massive knot, but as they passed the threshold, it enlarged allowing all to stand upright. To the back of the cavern, Toran noticed that it sloped downward. Cortisan didn't wait but pressed on. It seemed like an eternity, but finally the away team seemed to have travelled for a mile down. The passage sloped and twisted and finally they reached a narrow slit in the granite wall. Each person sucked in their breath and slipped right through to a larger underground cavern.

The cavern was illuminated by numerous blotches around the wall that glowed and eerie yellow, like hundreds of suns. Looking around Toran noticed that the cavern had a vegetation on the floor and a simple brook running through obviously from some sort of underground river. Areas of the cavern had shelters that were falling apart, but towards the centre were the kept shelters. In the distance the away team heard the sounds of crackling and banging as if hammering out a suit of armour. About ten children ran in the brook playing, mostly boys but two girls. There were some women in the encampment but the rest were men.

"Cortisan, how many people are here ?" Katts asked scanning the cavern with her tricorder.

"There are fifty of us, well now forty-five. We just lost a few of them in the squirmiest with the Z'Terul," Cortisan responded scanning the children for something... or someone. Then he saw her. "Bieul, come here."

From the group of children, a young girl probably no older than nine ran forward. She smiled as she yelled, "Daddy !" The girl leaped into the awaiting arms of Cortisan who held her close. She was a looker. Cute as a button with soft blond hair flowing over her subtle face. Her innocence still showed through her greenish-blue eyes, but her tattered clothes was still remnant of the hand-me-downs.

"Commander. This is my daughter Bieul. Bieul these people are from a ship called the Leviathan." Cortisan said.

"Well sir, not all of us." Said Ensign McMillian.

"I am sorry. And some of them are from another ship called the Ronin."

"Daddy, does this mean we can leave ?" Bieul said excitedly.

Cortisan said nothing but smiled as he looked at the away team. "Go and play my daughter. Find your mother and the elders and let them know we have guests."

"Okay." Bieul said turning around and running.

"Cortisan," Rashad said destroying the euphoria he felt. "How long have you been here ?"

"I don't know. I was born in those huts over there." He responded pointing over to one of the run down shacks in the far corner. "There is a story that is told to our children by the elders of our forefathers coming to the planet many centuries ago......" Cortisan told of the trip across the galaxies.

During his epilogue, Katts turned to Toran. "Commander. All these people are suffering from some form of theta radiation. The older ones have higher concentrations of it, but even Bieul shows minute signs of it."

"Where is it coming from ?"

"I may need Commander Barker to verify it, but I think that their light source is what is causing it."

Barker's ears perked up as he realised that his name was said. "I am sorry what did you say ?"

"Mister Barker. I need you to find out what those things are." Toran said pointing the illuminating blotches.

"Aye sir."

"..... and now I am what I can think fourth generation," Cortisan said. "Well enough. Come meet the rest of my people."

"Okay. Commander can I see you ?" Toran said excusing himself. As the rest of the away team went on, the Ronin's first officer approached Toran. "We have to contact our ships and report this. Maybe you and a few of the team can go on and report in."

"Have we tried the combadges ?" Heim asked.

"Well, not really. I figured that they would work."

Heim said nothing but tapped his combadge. "Heim to the Ronin."

A few minutes later a voice came from the other side.

[Commander Heim. This is Captain Devore. All communication is being patched through to the Leviathan. I am happy to hear from you. Is everything all right ?]

"Yes sir. All is fine. As a matter of fact we found some descendants from the original Coreans."

[Really.]

"Yes sir." Toran interjected. "They have managed to create a small civilisation under the surface."

[Under the surface ? Is that where you are now ?]

"Yes sir."

[How is the com signal getting through the planet's surface ?]

"I am not sure."

[Fine. Listen. I want Rashad back on the ship immediately.]

"Understood."

[You should be back as well we have some serious information to report.]

"Hmm.. let me guess, The Z'Terul aliens made up of a fighting force called the Zeirg and H'rlisk not to include those grotesque flying brains."

[Well, I guess you know a little more than I do. I can 't wait to read your report.]

"It will be informative."

"Captain one question..." Heim interrupted. "What do we do with the Coreans ?"

[Nothing unless they want to leave and in that case they can come aboard. Just let us know and we will make proper provisions. Until then nothing.]

"Understood. Toran out."

Suddenly his combadge beeped.

[Commander Toran !] Phanan yelled frantically. [We are under attack. I say again, we are under attack. We need support and I mean now.]

Toran yelled to the Coreans and to the away team. "To the surface now! We are under attack !"

Suddenly the cavern rocked and dust particles and rocks began to fall. The children screamed frightened as the men and few of the women donned their protective gear and headed towards the surface. Many of the people scattered looking for places to hide as the rocks shook again. Now even bigger pieces of rock began to fall. Looking up, Toran a rather large rock falling at a small conglomerate of people in a far corner. He aimed his phaser and fired. The rock exploded into smaller, harmless pieces.

"Come on. I don't think it is safe in here. Move out of here." Toran yelled.

"No this is a safe place." An elder yelled.

Cortisan agreed with Toran, for the Coreans have never experienced quite an attack like this. "Come everyone. Get out of here."

"No !" The reluctant elder yelled.

"Fine. You stay, but those that want to.. get out !" Cortisan yelled. Many people followed the away team out, but there were still about a dozen that remained.

"You are a fool Cortisan !" Rhe elder yelled.

"No I am not. I believe that these people are going to be able to help us."

"Fine go !" The elder turned his head. "But I will not."

Cortisan shrugged his shoulder and grabbed Bieul. His wife had all ready gone forward. Now he just had to meet up with her. The elder turned to the remnants of their society and raised his hand.

"We will be all right children."

The rocks shook another time and the cavern's walls gave in. Millions of tons of rock and debris came crashing down caving in the cavern. The loud sound of the rocks falling forced so much pressure through the hole that it jettisoned Commander Toran through it. He quickly got up and limped his way up the passage way to the top.

*Poor Bastards !*

"Fire team one, lay down suppressing fire. Two retreat to the rocks. We are going to need to make a stand there," Phanan ordered.

[Acknowledged.] Sharpe said.

The air criss-crossed with bright lights, intense energy as the phaser fire was focused on the advancing broods. Numerous H'rliskes were coming from the wood line, some being cut down from the towers, however some managed to break through. The bunker laid down a wall of flame that kept the H'rliskes at bay.

From the far side, troops of Zeirg pounced over the towers to be cut down by the full power of the type III phasers. As one was it, they were incinerated. Private Gordy was bringing up the rear. He fired full blasts hitting many of the advancing Zeirg, but as he aimed and tried to squeeze off another volley, one of the Zeirg pounced on him. The razor sheep pierced the Starfleet issue armour and it was shredded in moments. His scream was heard over the fire of the projectile weapons of the Coreans. "Help me!" He screamed as the teeth began to tear into his flesh, shredding it effortlessly. One of the Zeirg's massive forefoot dug into the bleeding tissue and eviscerated him, his entrails left streaming the foot. The now lifeless body of Gordy was reduced to a pile of tissue and blood, and a gutted torso.

The murderous Zeirg looked up at the retreating Marines and tried to pounce but Quinn who was Gordy's partner riddled the creature with short burst of his phaser. He began to retreat. "They keep a coming. We need help," He yelled letting off more rounds.

Commander Toran made his way to the front of the cavern where the Coreans and the away team stood. He looked over the battlefield and saw the lines. Slowly the Z'terul broods were taking more and more ground. "Rashad, McMillian, Benosk. Lay down fire from that position over there," Toran yelled pointing to a rather large rock just outside of the cavern's mouth. "Heim, Katts, Barker over there."

The assigned members ran to their assigned positions and began to open fire. Suddenly numerous shadows fell upon the ground. Toran looked up and saw the flying brain, but another creature he saw floated towards their positions. There were about three of them all in a dark greenish-black colonisation. Their leathery scale-like hide covered their body. They resembled octopi with a large sack as they turned and banked around the battlefield. Suddenly one of the flying octopi stops over one of the Coreans who had gotten out of the bunker to make better use of his flame thrower. As the Corean didn't notice the octopus, the octopus reared and spread out the underside and "spit" a yellow projectile resembling a pebble at the Corean. Just as the "pebble" was to hit the Corean he looked up and screamed as the pebble hit his face. Like a paintball it exploded covering the Corean's face with a yellowish, slimy substance. The muffled cries of the victim went unnoticed as something from underneath the slime began to burrow into his face. The piercing pain caused the poor soul to scream for a moment but within a few seconds the screams subsided. The slime began to dissipate and what once was a Corean now seemed to be an infested creature with an eerie red glow to his eye. "For the swarm," it screams at it heads for the bunker.

From behind the bunker, the remaining Corean scurry up the rock side as the the infested soldier hits it and explodes. There was a big "boom" as the infested creature and the bunker no longer remained.

"Fire teams four and five." Toran yelled. "Take out those flying things. Phanan continue to provide protective fire."

[Aye sir.] The teams said simultaneously.

The phasers fire criss-crossed and hit the octopi one at a time, each one exploding in a slime ridden mess. The flying brain just began to clear the trees as it stopped in the clearing, but the tower laid down a barrage of missiles and flak that destroyed the glob before it was able to deliver its package.

"Leviathan. We need air support like now." Toran said after he tapped his combadge.

"Cadet McCaffee. Did Chief Shale teach you how to perform atmospheric re-entry ?" Devore yelled as the com traffic requested air support.

"No sir." Brayden said.

"Shale take the helm and get us within weapons range." Devore said. "Shields up Red alert."

"Captain. Those creatures have changed course they are on an intercept course," MacLeod said.

"Damn ! Okay Shale. Get us there. Mac ETA ?"

"Four minutes."

"Toran. Prepare for emergency beam out."

[Captain. I have over forty five people.]

"Stand bye... Transporter chief, lock on to Commander Soliel signal and prepare a mass beam out."

[Captain it will take a few minutes to calibrate the emitters.]

"You don't have a minute. Do it now !"

[Aye sir.]

"Toran. Prepare to beam out. Grafton. Give me a planetary bombardment. Full phasers."

"Aye sir."

Shale piloted the massive ship down into the atmosphere. A few minutes, the ship was in position as he reported it to the Captain.

"Very well, chief energise."

The massive onslaught of the brood broke through the tower lines. Large creatures from the air resembling flying crab fired massive energy pulses that hit the formation. That was was had caused the cave-in. Suddenly from even higher, massive phasers came and hit the ground creating large craters. The H'rliskes caught in the blast radius were incinerated instantly, but for some they retreated. The flying crabs also were caught in the discharge and imploded as the isotopes reacted to their own chemistry.

However the Zeirg were different they continued attack regardless. Phanan fired his weapon as his troops around him began to dematerialised. The Zeirg approached quickly. He tried to fire again and again, but as he tried to squeeze off another round, he weapon didn't fire. The Zeirg attacked and pounced on Phanan, but as if an answer t o pray he dematerialised just as the razor sharp teeth tried to get him.

Phanan rematerialised on the transporter pad. "That was too close." He said as he stepped off and headed to the bridge.

"Transporter room reports all present and accounted for to include about 35 Coreans," MacLeod informed the Captain.

"Good. Get us out of here Chief," Devore said.

"Aye sir." Shale said. "Grafton, prepare all weapons."

"What are you doing Chief ?" Devore asked.

"Trust me !"

Grafton looked at the Captain for affirmation, which the Captain just shook his head.

Shale pressed a few buttons and ship turned to into the coming creatures. "On my mark Ensign prepare to fire torpedoes full spread."

The Leviathan flew towards the swarm rate of closure was too fast to judge. As the swarm reached about 1000 km, he gave the word. "Fire."

The torpedoes launched and spread out as it detonated on the swarm. As if a football and the torpedoes were the offensive line, the swarm opened up like flower and mighty Leviathan flew right threw. "Captain, course heading 123 mark 19 on your command."

"Engage ! Good work Chief Shale." Devore said sitting back in his chair letting out a long breath.