Blink: Interdiction (Book 4)

07

The scorching heat brought memories flooding back into Darien's mind, memories better left in the darkness. Ravine's capital city, Karpa Luna, sprawled out for miles in every direction from the cylindrical pillar of the main space port, a quagmire of dark, armoured buildings with thin windows that belched out sickly off-white light. The noise of heavy industry made the air ring as though he were stuck inside a bell full of nails, mixed with the thunder of engines and ever-present background fuzz of the human population.

He looked out at it, a whole world crashing back down on him. Even inside the space port the ever present heat was suffocating, and the air had a burnt taste, like ash. The natives of the planet were distinct by their dry, cracked skin, coarse from the heat even with the medical supplies ferried in on a monthly basis by colonial flotillas. He thought back to Vass's grim threat – withhold the medicine until the uprising stopped. Part of him recoiled from the very thought, but a small voice in the back of his mind knew that, if all else failed, that plan would beat the colonists into submission.

Suppressing the heavy sigh that was rising in his throat, Darien turned from the window, looking back into the space port. The military debarkation of colonial ground forces was well under way, with phalanxes of armoured crawlers and jeeps roaring out of enormous ground transports. Armoured men and women marched in crisp columns, directed by roaring officers who fought to make themselves heard over the thunder of engines and moving equipment.

The Blink operatives, however, were at the back of the queue. Their redeployment orders had come through just minutes before touchdown on Ravine, and it was clear that the colonial forces were concentrating on their conventional forces first.

They waited patiently in their assigned loading sector, a hot, dank bay that stank of petrol and scorched metal. While they probably could have just Blinked across the city to the main military installation just beyond the city limits, he didn't want to unduly disrupt the military deployment plans. If Colonel Merlynn wanted them to arrive in a truck, then that's what they would do.

In the interim, however, he saw an opportunity to dispense one pearl of wisdom.

"Alright, everybody circle up," Darien called above the hubbub, beckoning the operatives over. Once they'd assembled he reached into one of the small pockets of his combat vest and freed a flat, circular container. "We've all been issued with Cleanser Packs for the duration of our stay here. You all know I grew up on this furnace – I know how important these are. One pill will rinse your lungs out of the crap in the air around here for twenty-four hours only. If you miss a dose, the side-effects are unpleasant."

He waited, gauging the faces of his operatives. They'd all received a briefing pack outlining the use of the medicines that made life on Ravine liveable. How deeply they'd read that particular part of the mission file, however, was another matter. Most of them nodded, faces impassive; a handful exchanged worried looks as the full gravity of their situation was driven home.

"If you lose your pack or miss a dose for any reason let your squad leader know," he continued. "We can get replacement packs if need be, but these things are shipped in from off planet so the supply is finite. Don't get into any bad habits." He let the words hang in the air for a moment, just long enough to let it sink in, then popped his container open and swallowed one of the tiny spherical pills nestled within.

In a quick flurry the other operatives followed his example, hastily knocking back their medication under his watchful eye. Satisfied, Darien felt his nerves settle. And for the next forty-three agonizing minutes they stood there, watching and waiting as truck after gas-spewing truck rumbled away, out into the searing heat of the city towards the military base.