Vex Chronicles 1: Infection

Infection in the water

Eredius III, Ede prime, underhive, water pipes

Kaulus was not stupid. No, no. When the imperial soldiers had followed, he and Gandry had retreated. One station lost. And the imperials knew. It was stupid to follow the old plan. And Kaulus wasn't. He and Gandry had decided to stay away from the water station. Instead they had followed the pipes further up.

Gandry's laser cutter burned into the filter unit that blocked their path. No alarm was triggered. That filter was still in Beloved Heart's control. But they had no time left for finesse. Air was running low. Climbing the pipes had taken more time than expected.

With a muffled snap the filter finally gave and the heavy unit fell down past them.

It was frustrating. The air display already blinked. There was light ahead of them. But a final pump unit stood between them and safety. A final hurdle. They had miscalculated. The time was too short...

Kaulus hooked the climbing gear into the pipe and pressed against the current to stabilize Gandry. Kaulus hybrid friend cut with frantic movements. Bolt after bolt gave. But the position was awkward, the cutter cumbersome.

Kaulus could only try to breath shallow, preserve as much oxygen as possible. He could already feel the effects of the lack of oxygen. Kaulus begun to panic. They were alone, their Beloved Ones killed by nasty foreigners. And no one drowned fear with blessed unity.

But then a single calming voice trickled into their minds. And with it came knowledge. A path through the lower hive.

The voice wasn't a Beloved One. It was weaker and could not listen. It was only a faint whisper of desperation and fear. But the voice was unity. The presence of Gandry returned to Kaulus mind. He was no longer alone. And that was balm for the two. The Beloved Heart was still alive. And that calmed Kaulus' panicked breathing.

With a final snap Gandry cut the pump unit free. Kaulus hocked his climbing claws into the pipe and pushed. Metal gave and the pump followed the filters down.

Kaulus used his strength as an aberrant and pushed up. There was a bent and they begun to crawl. Kaulus vision had already started to become blurry from lack of air. With last strength he slipped into the water basin. Kaulus hands prickled as he fumbled with the last seal above their heads. With a last twist it opened and the water pressure pushed them out.

Kaulus pulled off his mask and finally drew breath. Even the stale air in his lungs tastes like the best thing in the world. Kaulus sank down onto the dust covered transparent floor, leaving it to Gandry to slam the seal back shut.

The maintenance station was old and abandoned. But it had air. And it was the end of their journey through the water pipes. Their air canisters were empty. And further pumps and filters were again in imperial hands. The locked door that lead into maintenance tunnels had to make due.

"Did you felt the weak voice?" Kaulus coughed. "The secrets it knew... Who was it?"

"Maybe the magus twin that was no magus?" Gandry's hands drew curvy features into the air and sighed dreamy. "She is the only one that can freely take the maglev to Ede Prime. And she knows the examinatii maintenance plans."

"We are not alone..." Kaulus sighed. "We wait. We hide. We survive. And then we spread again. Beloved Heart is not weak. We will recover!" His words sounded hollow even in his ears. "We have to..."

Kaulus reassembled his favorite heavy shovel and begun to train. Gandry just sat down and ordered his thoughts. Kaulus and Gandry were an unusual pair. Kaulus was an aberrant. Big and brawny but with simple mind. But he was not stupid – as he often told everyone. Gandry was a hybrid. Two right arms, broad carapace, a prolonged bulbous head and claws on fingers and feet made it impossible for him to remotely pass as human. Most of their kind were grateful to be close to the blessed form of their genetic donors. But Gandry's eyes only carried a sad longing to be human-like.