The Planet 5.2

5.2 Regroup

Duggan dropped Machete whom he was carrying on his shoulder. He was not gentle with the other; it was like dropping a bag of dirt. It did stir up the dust when Machete hit the ground. Machete screamed out but the Commander just ignored him and stepped over the wounded construct. Nguyen who was there rushed over to check on the wounds, while I joined Peggy at the consoles. We were back at the Main Control Section and rejoined the others.

“I saw you guys on the cams.” Peggy spoke without moving her sight on the consoles.

“Why didn’t you join us then?” I spoke out dryly. It was the damn dust that got into my mouth. I spat it out and looked at Peggy.

“I would have but I had orders. You do not counter the order.” Peggy replied but her smile betrayed her intentions. Sometimes I think Peggy wished us dead. She was upset at the way we treated Dmitri then. He was a prick and was DOD. So we did have as our captive and roughed him up. It was standard works for all captive even though we used to share a drink during better times. DOD and Corsairs were once allies; so were all mercenaries at one time and enemy at the next. It depends on the side we fought for. Peggy was all emotional then but she kept her piece to herself. I think we saw that here in the plant.

“Did you see the droids there?” I had to ask. Peggy did not reply but her expression told me what I suspected. I was to ask more when I heard Nguyen spoke up.

“Machete will live. He may have some speech issues but he did tell us bad jokes.” Duggan was standing by console heard the healer. He turned around and looked at Machete.

“I want you to check on the other droids.” Machete was seated on the flooring with part of his face bandaged. So the face was organic and it must have hurt. He could not reply but nodded. He knew Duggan cared nothing except to do the task. He pulled himself up and staggered to a console.

“Nguyen, would you look at my back? It’s hurting like my butt on a bad meal.” Duggan was himself. Soon we were all reviewing the data and any available stuff we think that will tell us why the droids reacted in that manner. They were programmed never to harm the humans with the exception of the battle droids.

“You think Kingsley reprogrammed them?” Peggy was the culprit.

“One more word on Kingsley, I am putting you on the record.” Duggan hit back. He was the loyal and dedicated one. We were unlike him; we cared only for the credits we were to be paid.

“I…” Peggy was to hit back when she saw something on the screen.

“It’s Dmitri. He’s here.” Peggy shouted out. “I’ll be damned.”

Duggan moved over and looked at the screen. He saw the Corsairs; the few of them rushing at the corridors. They were not organized but seen to be in panic.

“I counted five of them. Their squad is normally ten or twelve.” Duggan made the count. “Where is Ivan? He was the leader.”

“Screw their numbers!” Peggy replied. “They are near us. I want to see Dmitri.”

“Clam it!” Duggan shouted back, and then he motioned to me. “Do the recon. If the Corsairs are running scared I want to know why.”

I nodded and took off on the directions given by Peggy. The corridors looked all the same but it helped when they marked it with references. Peggy read me the references to take on the comms while I rushed there. The corridors were well lighted but the dust made it hard to see far. I could make out the corners and then it was like running in the mist.

“You are going to collide with them.” Peggy sounded out when I rounded the fourth corner. I heard the shots and slowed down. I was not keen to bump into the Corsairs. We don’t share good handshakes during such tasks. I leaned against the wall and slowly moved towards the shooting. I heard screams and then the explosion. The flame rushed towards me even though I was on the tangent corridor. Damn these plasma grenades; they are deadly in enclosed area and wipe out all that was there. The heat was intense and had to close my eyes.

I heard the running and the cursing just before I opened my eyes. I saw a fleeing figure rushing round the corner and then slammed to the wall. He was running blind and was unarmed. That was the first time I see a Corsair ran in that manner. They were formidable foes and friends; they boasted once during a drinking session that they drank blood when they earned the rank.

I reached out and grabbed the fleeing Corsair. I pulled at the left sleeve and pushed him to the wall. He went faced up against the wall and then collapsed to his knees. I pulled him standing up and then slammed him against the wall before turning him over. I recognized the face.

“Dmitri, it’s me. John.” I called out.