Chapter 141: (The War) (2/2)
La'amo'o didn't see why. None of the cars were burning, the only dead he could see looked like they'd been trampled to death.
Another flight went by, low enough that for a moment La'amo'o was worried the bottom edge of the hexagonal plates might hit someone in the head. Again the crowd screamed and huddled down.
La'amo'o hurried by the crowd.
At one corner one of the vehicles came to a stop. Two of the bipeds in white armor, one with an orange plate on his shoulder, let go of the bar they were holding and jumped down, walking up to La'amo'o who held still.
”What are you doing out past curfew, Citizen?” one asked. La'amo'o wasn't sure which one.
”I am retrieving my daughter. I have a piece of paper that I was told to give you by a public assistance intelligence,” La'amo'o said.
”Let's see it. Move slowly,” the one in all white said.
La'amo'o carefully withdrew the paper, holding it out and waiting politely.
”I need a check. Red Prince 3321, Electronic Warfare Division,” the one with the orange shoulders said. After a moment. ”Roger.”
The one holding the paper handed it back. ”All right. You're clear. We've got you loaded in now, you shouldn't be bothered since standard visors will display that you're cleared. Move along,” the one with orange shoulders said.
”Thank you, Terrans,” La'amo'o said, trotting away.
La'amo'o stopped at one point as a Lanaktallan, obviously wealthy by his sash, flank cover, and ornate satchel-pouch, ran into the street squealing in terror. Three pale blue rings hit the wealthy Lanaktallan who immediately fell over, landing on his side, breathing heavily with his eyes closed. Several biped humans came up, putting cuffs on the fallen Lanaktallan. One passed a device over the unconscious Lanaktallan's rump, making the smell of fried meat and hair, leaving behind a series of bars and numbers.
”Move along, Citizen,” one of the bipeds told La'amo'o. ”He's just stunned.”
La'amo'o just nodded, trotting away. Personally, La'amo'o didn't care if that one was stunned or dead. A being could out run a lot of things, but not guns. Running from armed beings was just stupid, you just ended up injured and tired.
After a while La'amo'o reached the creche. The first thing he noted was that the Terrans were already there. They had bags stacked up almost to La'amo'o's chin, heavy plates of black metal set up, guns and missile launchers, all set up. All of the military equipment made La'amo'o frown as he moved up to where two white armored Terrans were standing.
”Move along, Citizen, this is a restricted area,” one said.
”I am her to collect my daughter. I have written permission,” La'amo'o said. He moved slowly and carefully, getting out the two permissions. One of the Terrans took the paper and went through the door made of faint energy.
After a few moments the other one spoke. ”You don't seem too frightened.”
”I am nobody important. There is no reason to kill me,” La'amo'o said, shrugging.
'Makes sense,” the Terran replied.
After a moment the one who had left, or at least La'amo'o assumed it was the one that had left, returned with two others, one of which had the orange plates on the shoulders. One of the narrow vehicles pulled up behind La'amo'o and for a moment he was worried, reminded of how the SecMales would take people away in the night.
”Citizen La'amo'o 742452?” the one with orange plates asked.
”Yes?” La'amo'o asked.
”Come with us, please,” the Terran said, walking past him and toward the vehicle.
”I have done nothing wrong,” La'amo'o said. His knees started shaking slightly.
”No. You have not. We're taking you to your daughter. She's all right, she's fine, but she's at a medical and rescue center,” the Terran said. ”We're going to ride in the Eye-Tee-Tee since it's about five miles from here.”
”Oh,” La'amo'o said, feeling relief as his tendrils uncurled and his crests deflated. He turned and trotted after the two Terrans, starting to feel a little excited. He was going to be allowed to ride inside one of the gray vehicles.
The back opened up to show the troop compartment. The one with the orange shoulders sat down and pointed up at the straps hanging from the roof.
”You can hold onto those to keep your balance if you need to,” the Terran said as the other one hit a button and the back slowly closed with the whine of hydraullics.
”Thank you, Terran,” La'amo'o said. He felt excited as the vehicle went into motion. He could almost feel the weight of its armor and the power of its engine. ”Why is my daughter not at the creche.”
There was silence for a moment then the Terran with the orange shoulder plates spoke.
”Some of your leaders tied or chained children to your anti-air emplacements. That forced us to do an infantry assault on them with sniper backup,” the Terran answered. ”Your daughter was one of the ones that were 'chosen' to help 'defend' the emplacement.”
”Were many children killed?” La'amo'o said, trembling in anxiety at the thought that his own people would chain colts to weapon emplacements.
”Three. Two were shot by the officers manning the weapons, one was blown up when the soldiers manning the weapon blew it up rather than let us take it,” the Terran said.
”Oh,” La'amo'o said. He dug in his pouch and pulled out a cloth to dab his eyes. He stood there, crying quietly for a few minutes, before the vehicle slowed down. He wiped his eyes and turned around, following the Terrans out.
The area was busy. There were Terrans running around shouting, Lanaktallan being carried on hover-cradles with terrible wounds, crying Lanaktallan, and tents with doctors working feverishly. There was a small corral where immature Lanaktallan were bunched up in the middle, with Terrans guarding the corral.
”Daddy!” his daughter, Alma'ana called out, galloping toward him, her limbs flailing. He rushed up, not noticing the sharp command from the Terran with the orange pauldrons stopping two of the Terrans from raising their weapons. One opened the gate in time for Alma'ana to rush out, colliding with her father and hugging La'amo'o with all four arms. ”You came. You really came.”
”Of course I did, little one,” La'amo'o said, feeling relief fill him. ”I am glad you are all right.”
She sniffled and looked up. ”Some CorpSec tied me to a big missile launcher, telling me I was helping defend our world because the Terrans wouldn't blow it up with missiles. Instead Terrans ran out of the buildings, yelling, and shot the CorpSec like the ones who took away Mommy. I've got a headache, but the Terran doctor who looked at me and gave me some shots told me it would go away.”
La'amo'o let her talk, gently petting the hair on her back.
”It was really scary, but then the Terrans let me ride on a vehicle and more doctors looked at me. They said they'd try to find you, but there's fighting in the city,” Alma'ana snuffled. ”I was scared that CorpSec came for you.”
”No, little one, daddy isn't that important. Do you want to go home?” La'amo'o asked.
Alma'ana nodded, wiping her eyes.
La'amo'o turned back to the two Terrans who had ridden in the vehicle with him. ”May we return home? My daughter is distressed.”
The one with the orange plates nodded, waving at La'amo'o. ”Follow us. We'll give you a ride home in the Eye-Tee-Tee. It'll be safer.”
His daughter was a little afraid of the vehicle, but once La'amo'o got in, she nervously clattered in, looking at everything. She seemed a little afraid of the Terrans, but by the time the vehicle stopped she was asleep standing up, swaying back and forth.
La'amo'o led his sleepy daughter back to the apartment. He nodded when the Terran told him to stay safe, holding two of his daughter's hands. Up in the apartment he tucked her into her sling and went back in to watch the Tri-Vid.
As soon as he turned it on the channel dissolved in static and the Terran face made of dots and static showed up again.
”Did you find her, La'amo'o?” the public assistance intelligence asked.
La'amo'o nodded. ”Yes. Thank you for the plas-sheets.”
”Whew. When I saw what happened I was a little worried. Is she all right?” the PAI asked.
”Yes. She is a little frightened. The Terrans killed the CorpSec in front of her, but the Terran doctors say she will all right and that her headache will go away,” La'amo'o said.
”Hey, listen,” the PAI said. ”I hacked your food dispenser. You and everyone else here in this building. I just wanted to let you know that you have almost unlimited food and I unlocked all the flavors. Don't be stingy and make sure she gets plenty to eat, all right? It's not going to cost you anything.”
The face seemed really concerned for a virtual intelligence.
”Thank you,” La'amo'o said.
”Just stay home, all right? You'll be all right. Nobody wants to hurt you. The fight isn't with people like you and your daughter, all right?” the PAI said.
”It's with the Most Highs,” La'amo'o guessed.
”Yeah. Listen, I'm sorry about your city, it seems nice. You guys are a manufacturing hub, so you're kind of a priority target. Grand Moff Chet Mann wants this world taken intact for the Empire,” The PAI said.
”Displays are useful. They're on everything from food dispensers to tanks to spaceships,” La'amo'o said, nodding his head. He understood why a military would attack the city.
”Yeah. Hey, are you sure you're all right? I can summon a medic for you if you need it,” the PAI said.
”No, I'm all right.”
”Is there anything I can do for you before I leave?” The PAI asked.
La'amo'o shook his head. ”My daughter is here and we have food.”
”All right. Take care. I'll check on you tomorrow,” the PAI said.
La'amo'o waited until his daughter was definitely asleep, punched up a nutri-cud he'd always wanted to try, and went up to the roof.
There were five of those massive wedge-shaped ships in the sky and streaks of light across the darkness that La'amo'o knew where those little space-craft.
He stood on the roof, watching the night sky, for over an hour before he went downstairs. When the little craft screamed by he waved at them.
In his cradle, waiting to go to sleep, he allowed himself a short moment of anger at the Terrans.
Why couldn't you have done this before CorpSec vanished her.