Transformation Space - Marianne de Pierres [125]
‘Imploding?’
‘Self-destructing. The Saqr craft has been engulfed by Leah. It must have affected the commands sent to all the Geni-carriers. They’re self-immolating. The DSD was correct, Baronessa. There was a way.’ The Lostolian waved his fist in victory.
Nova stared up at her with solemn eyes. Josef has saved us, Mama.
‘Si, Nova,’ she said, bending down to kiss Jo-Jo’s lifeless lips gently. ‘Si.’
Sole
Luscious, luscious
Together
extras
about the author
Marianne de Pierres is the author of the multi award-nominated Parrish Plessis and Sentients of Orion science fiction series. The Parrish Plessis series has been translated into eight languages and adapted into a D20 Role Playing Game. 2011 will see the release of her new young adult dark fantasy duology. She is also the author of a humorous crime series, written under the pseudonym Marianne Delacourt. Marianne is an active supporter of genre fiction and has mentored many writers. She lives in Brisbane, Australia, with her husband, three sons and three galahs. Visit her websites at www.tarasharp.com and www.mariannedepierres.com
Find out more about Marianne de Pierres and other Orbit authors by registering for the free monthly newsletter at www.orbitbooks.net
if you enjoyed
TRANSFORMATION SPACE
look out for
SEEDS OF EARTH
book one of Humanity’s Fire
by
Michael Cobley
PROLOGUE
DARIEN INSTITUTE: HYPERION DATA RECOVERY PROJECT
Cluster Location – Subsidiary Hardmem Substrate (Deck 9 quarters)
Tranche – 298
Decryption Status – 9th pass, 26 video files recovered
File 15 – The Battle of Mars (Swarm War)
Veracity – Virtual Re-enactment
Original Time Log – 16:09:24, 23 November 2126
>>>>>> <<<<<<
FADE IN:
CAPTION:
MARS
THE CRATER PLAIN: OLYMPUS MONS
19 MARCH 2126
The Sergeant was on the carrier’s command deck, checking and rechecking the engineering console’s modifications, when voices began clamouring over his helmet comm.
‘Marine force stragglers incoming with enemy units in pursuit …’
‘… eight, nine Swarmers, maybe ten …’
The Sergeant cursed, grabbed his heavy carbine and left the command deck as quickly as his combat armour would allow. The clatter of his boots echoed down the vessel’s spinal corridor while he issued a string of terse orders. By the time he reached the wrecked and gaping doors of the rear deployment hold, the stragglers had arrived. Five wounded and unconscious, all from the Indonesia regiment, going by their helmet flashes. As the last was being carried up the ramp, the leading Swarmers came into view over the brow of a rocky ridge about 80 metres away.
A first glimpse revealed a nightmare jumble of claws, spikes and gleaming black eye-clusters. Swarm biology had many reptilian similarities yet their appearance was unavoidably insectoid. With six, eight, ten or more limbs, they could be as small as a pony or as big as a whale, depending on their specialisation. These were bull-sized skirmishers, eleven black-and-green monsters that were unlimbering tine-snouted weapons as they rushed down towards the crippled carrier.
‘Hold your fire,’ the Sergeant said, glancing at the six marines crouched behind the improvised barricade of ammo cases and deck plating. These were all that were left to him after the Colonel and the rest had left in the hovermags a few hours ago, heading for the caldera and the Swarm’s main hive. One of them hunched his shoulders a little, head tilting to aim down his carbine’s sights …
‘I said wait,’ said the Sergeant, gauging the diminishing distance. ‘Ready aft turrets … acquire targets … fire!’
Streams of heavy-calibre shells converged on the leading Swarmers, knocking them off their spidery legs. Then the Sergeant cursed when he saw them right themselves, protected by the bio-armour which had confounded Earth’s military ever since the beginning of the invasion two years ago.
‘Pulse rounds,’ the Sergeant shouted. ‘Now!’
Bright bolts began to pound the Swarmers, dense knots of energised matter designed to simultaneously