GALAXY AT WAR - Book 2 - Probing Anthera

CHAPTER SIX - September 2172 - Anthera - 16 days to go

"That's the last of them, sir."

"Did you leave behind signs of our presence?" asked Marsup Maverphoride.

"Yes, sir. The humans will know we were there."

"Good, Sergeant. Are the explosives ready?"

"Examphoride is arming them now, sir."

Lt Col Maverphoride started signalling for everyone present to clear the area as he said, "Back everyone. Start the trek to the new cave. We are sealing this one in two minutes."

There was only the demolition crew left when Private Examphoride signalled that he was done. "Go, I'll be right behind you." He set the timer then ran down the tunnel. They were five-hundred meters away when they heard the explosion. Several seconds later, they were forced to the ground when a cloud of dust engulfed them. They rose, coughing, as the dust slowly thinned out.

Maverphoride appeared before them, slowly making his way through the thinning dust. "Sergeant take Private Examphoride with you and make sure the tunnel is sealed then report back. I think that if we do this again, we should all wear our helmets. I nearly choked to death back there."

They hurried back to the old cave to check their handiwork. They used their helmet lights as even their sharp eyes couldn't see in this degree of darkness. They came to the end of the tunnel and swept the entire wall of rubble with their hands, searching for any gaps.

"Seems fine to me, Eamour. Let's go," said Sergeant Nilmerphille. He bent over, using his two sets of arms as extra legs, and set off at a pace no human could ever hope to achieve. Private Examphoride did the same, covering over a hundred miles in one and a half hours.

Back in the new cave, Colonel Dowdneer was busy enjoying his favourite pastime. He watched as one of his soldiers punched, a handcuffed, Colonel Twochelope across his jaw. Tchzor's head dropped when he could take no more.

"Stop this. You're not even asking any questions," Private Bowerphille pleaded from his dusty spot on the floor. He was also handcuffed and looked terrible from the many cuts and bruises inflicted upon him.

Dowdneer signalled for the soldier torturing Colonel Twochelope to start, once again, on Bowerphille.

"No, no, not again..." his words were cut short as his jaw broke from the force of the first punch. The punishment didn't stop there. He was repeatedly punched until, he too, sagged into unconsciousness.

"Now him again. Make the traitorous little shit suffer," said Colonel Dowdneer.

Lt Mourneer let out a muffled groan before he started coughing up blood as he was punched three times in the stomach.

"They've had enough and as much as I love seeing them suffer, I may still need them alive. Throw them back in their corner," said Dowdneer as he walked towards the exit tunnel. He picked up his handcuff control and smiled. Oh, what the hell, he thought and pointed it at the three motionless forms huddled in the corner. Dowdneer pressed the button and watched with glee as all three writhed in pain from the handcuff's built-in electric shock device.

Colonel Dowdneer turned away from them and picked up his helmet. After securing it on his head he walked up the exit tunnel and stepped through the portable forcefield that had been set up to keep breathable air inside the caves. After a climb of roughly twenty-five meters, he had never bothered to measure the distance, he emerged out onto Anthera's surface and slowly looked around at the surrounding landscape.

"Sir, I was just going to contact you," the soldier on 'human observation' duty said as he hurried over to Dowdneer.

"Yes, Private. What is it?"