Far Horizon (Juggernaut #4)

Twenty Eight

Marcus had had a long day, but he considered it a success. They had breached the first of two asteroids today, and rescued over five hundred colonists. Most were already on board, receiving medical care and reassurance that they were now safe back in Commonwealth hands.

The debriefing teams were ready to go, and because they couldn't be too careful when handling the survivors, there were also experts in interrogation and counter-espionage. Cabal forces could well have embedded agents among the survivors, knowing that they would be brought on board. Marcus hated that they couldn't simply treat everyone they found as a victim, but operational security always had to come first.

He had personally commanded the first team in. Breach and board was one of his specialities, and he wanted to get a first hand look at the situation his men were facing before committing more of them to later missions. First in, last out. That was the right way to do it. His battle gear was hot and heavy at the best of times. Taking the asteroid room by room was cramped and exhausting work. The corridors and chambers carved into the rock were Corridors were no bigger than absolutely necessary. If their first two targets had been suitable for mining there would be more space and more machinery as the asteroid. There was, in fact, ore present, but nothing that made building an extraction process worth the effort. They had more value as prisons.

There would be more to come, and he had no doubt there would be more difficult situations to face. Cabal forces had simply abandoned hundreds of asteroids. Until they were breached, there was no way of knowing how many survivors there were, if any. The thought made him sick. Dying in battle was one thing. Dying for a cause was another. Dying because you were a loose end to be abandoned was the act of a barbaric mind.

But his work was over for now. They had saved five hundred and sixteen lives today. He considered that a win. Reports had been logged, and his team had been taken care of. Now hungry, aching, tired and dirty, Marcus was ready for a shower and a meal, and then six hours of sleep so he could do it all again tomorrow.

So when the fire alarm sounded in the barracks, he was already on the way.

He broke in to a run, yelling for help as he pounded through the corridor. Fire control teams for this deck would be on their way, but he couldn't stand back and wait.

As he rounded the corner there was already a crowd working to assist the marines who had been in the barracks at the time. Some of them were the same team that had breached alongside him earlier that day. They emerged coughing and choking on black smoke.

"Electrical?" he shouted as he stopped. "Why hasn't the suppression system engaged?"

"I don't know, sir," coughed a junior officer.

Marcus took a step toward the door. Noxious black clouds were spilling from the room at the top of the door, and spreading along the ceiling of the corridor.

The junior officer pulled him back by the arm. "Sir, it's all clear. There's no one else in there. Fire control is en route. We should pull back."

Marcus nodded. There was nothing useful for him to do, but he was still the senior officer on the scene.

"Back it up. Everyone back to the bulkheads now and seal off this section. Cut main electrical and get the extraction up and running now. Fire control will make the area safe."

The junior officer coughed again, and spat blood. Behind him, the internal bulkhead doors closed and the lights went out.

"You okay, son?"

The junior officer nodded, and coughed again. He doubled over, hacking at the air until he couldn't breathe. "Something nasty in that smoke, sir," he managed.

Four crewmen arrived then, pulling on respirators and protective clothing. They carried portable suppression units, flash-lights and toolboxes.

"Better stand back, sir," said one of them. "Extraction might not have cleared that smoke yet if something is still burning.

The junior officer coughed again. More blood. He felt heavy and limp in Marcus' arms.

"Medic!"

A medical officer was already on the scene. Marcus lay the officer down and stood up to clear space. Behind him the bulkhead opened and thin black smoke tricked out of the corridor. The last breaths of life evaporated and died.

The medic fought until the battle was lost. She lowered her head stood up slowly "I'm sorry, sir."

Marcus nodded, and squeezed her shoulder in the only thanks he could give.

"Sir, I should check you out too."

Marcus was already moving.

"I'm fine. I'll be on the bridge.

He was five hundred and sixteen lives up today.

Down one.

Not good enough.