The colony. Chapter 9: Unexpected Attack

- What are your plans next? - Gordon asked.

Raytnov looked at the rover, the repair of which he started this morning - he was standing with the engine dismantled, and the generator was lying on the table.

“I would like to finish the repair,” he said, “will you help?”

The question was largely rhetorical and left unanswered - all three loved to work with their hands. In addition, the continuous maintenance of the equipment in working condition was now simply vital, and everyone understood it. Barney went to the table and began to turn the generator in his hands in search of external defects, but immediately postponed this exercise.

“It's dark,” he said, glancing out the window.

The storm was raging outside, and from this the hangar was too dark, even though several lamps were on. Raytnov approached the electrical panel and turned all the switches to the “ON” state, thus lighting the rest of the lamps.

“That's better already,” Barney nodded affirmatively and began to look at the generator again.

An external inspection did not reveal any defects, so the generator had to be disassembled. A few hours later the repair was completed and the engine was installed back on the rover. After making sure that all the graphs show green values, Gordon uncoupled the sensors from the engine and waved Raithnou’s hand to the person sitting inside - he muffled the rover and went outside.

“We did a good job, guys,” he said, wiping sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, “we should have a look at the second rover too, but personally, I would first chew something.” What do you think?

The guys, especially Barney, were not at all against such a development of events and headed for the transition. Raytnov followed them and, already approaching the effervescent door, he suddenly stopped when he heard an unpleasant sound — as if a wire were somewhere on the way. He turned and looked around the hangar in search of the source. Going a little deeper, he listened again - no, the sound definitely did not come from the rover. Raytnov turned his head a little more, and then looked up and noticed a red emergency lamp that was not working. It seems that the standard warning system to no avail tried to light it, thereby creating this shorting sound.

But why did the system work?

Gordon was already standing next to Raytnov and was also looking up, while Barney was looking around. He held his gaze on the outer door for a long time, through which their rover had entered the day before, and then said:

- Do you see it?

Raytnov distracted himself from the lamp, followed Barney’s gaze and opened his eyes wide with surprise. He could not believe that he did not notice this himself - the inscription was burning in red above the door:

== “Attention! Titan is nearby! ”==

And directly in front of the door, a hologram was displayed, on which all corps of the military base and the immediate surroundings were shown. The image was not schematic - it was carefully detailed and was a reduced copy of the base, and a small titan walked right next to the hangar. Raytnov was surprised at the striking similarity of the real titans and their reduced virtual copies.

“It can't be,” he said, pointing to the hologram, “that’s what they look like.”

Barney peered through the porthole, but to no avail — the storm was too dense and nothing could be seen beyond ten meters. Titan, judging by the numbers above his head, was ninety meters from the hangar, but gradually approached.

Raytnov could not take his eyes off the hologram and continued to be amazed at the highest degree of its detail. It was as if he had hit Alpha again on the day of the attack - there was so much similarity. And the main question agitated the mind Rytnova - how can this be?

Apparently, he was not the only one who asked this question - Gordon also looked at the hologram, now at the warning inscription above the door. Barney kept himself in hand and walked over to the electrical panel to check what each switch was responsible for, but there was no label or marking near the rightmost switch. Barney switched him to the opposite state, and the hologram along with the warning label disappeared, as did the shorting sound.

The guys looked at each other in perplexity, and for a minute there was silence in the hangar, which Raytnov then interrupted:

“So ... the existence of titans is not a discovery at all?”

Barney put his hand on the wall and looked at the empty display above the door.

“Moreover,” he added, “it turns out that they were known even during the construction of this base.”
“And that was more than fifty years ago,” finished the idea of ​​Raytnov, putting his hands on his hips.

Gordon put his right hand to his chin, as he always did in moments of hesitation, and asked a reasonable question:

- Was it known to the doctor?

This question also remained unanswered - suddenly the door to the dining room hissed, and the other three members of the group appeared from it. Angus walked at the head. “It’s easy to tell,” said Raytnov, and began to worry that the doctor would beat this situation into his own hands. But the doctor, like Isaac and Emilia, looked absolutely calm, as if nothing had happened, only with a smile they were heading towards Rytnov and the two pilots.

“We did some research,” the doctor said, “and now we can make some adjustments to the data regarding the structure of their larynx!”

He, as usual, looked enthusiastic.

“We haven't finished yet, but we decided to stop for lunch,” added Emilia, “will you join?”
“Yes, of course,” said Raytnov, “but we need a little more time to repair, so start without us.”
“Oh, Alex, did you repair the rover?” - asked the doctor, going up to the car and running his hand along the body, - he pulled out Alpha and me and deserves the best service! I believe that only you guys can provide one to him.

He looked around at the “repairmen” who stood there, where a hologram was projected a minute earlier. Raytnov didn't smile too naturally and put his hand on Gordon's shoulder.

- If it were not for Gordon, we would have repaired it for a long time. He is the master of it!

Raytnov met his companion’s gaze and realized that he too couldn’t wait for the doctor to leave the hangar sooner. The doctor looked at them for a while with a smile, but then said, as if having read their thoughts:

- Well, since you need a little more time, we will not delay you. Isaac, Emilia, have lunch and continue research?

They turned and headed for the crossing, and Raytnov quickly glanced over his shoulder into the porthole. The reddish veil of sand and dust still covered everything around him, so he immediately turned away and continued to see the doctor away. However, Barney looked out the window more closely and suddenly began to notice the silhouette of a titanium. He glanced at Raytnov — he had already turned away and could not see it, while the titan was getting closer and closer.

Raytnov came closer to Gordon and began to say something in his ear, but Barney took them both in his arms and dragged them away from the walls. Most likely, the hangar will withstand the blow of titanium - it’s not for nothing that such a layer of armor was hung on it, but once again it’s never to be safe.

“The Titan is already near,” Barney answered in a whisper to the dumb question in Gordon's gaze.

They moved a few meters away from the wall, waiting for a strike, but still they started from a dull, but powerful sound. One of the lamps illuminating the hangar went out for a second and then caught fire again. Angus, already approaching the door of the transition, crouched in surprise and turned sharply in search of the source of the noise.

- What was it? - He asked in a high voice, - is it titanium?

Raytnov turned back over his shoulder and glanced out the window, and this time there was a huge and powerful paw in it, which disappeared a second later. The doctor, apparently, also noticed this, because he was dead white, a donkey on the spot and raised his hand, pointing forward. Apparently, he wanted to say something, because his lips moved awkwardly, but his tongue did not obey.

Isaac was more agile.

- Will the walls stand? He asked, heading straight for the window.
“I’m sure so,” Barney answered, also approaching him.

Emilia began to reassure the doctor, and Raytnov whispered to Gordon, who was standing nearby:

- Heck! I would prefer that the doctor did not know that the local radar installations have long been aware of the titans. More precisely, we know this.
“On the other hand,” he answered, “it will be interesting to see his reaction and listen to what he says.”

Raytnov shrugged and looked at Angus - he was still in a tense half-squad with his left hand pointing forward, as if defending himself from something. Emilia was saying something to him, and he nodded vigorously, but there was no horror in his eyes — rather, there was some confusion and uncertainty. Raytnov drew attention to the fact that he presses the shackle of glasses to the skull with his right-hand finger, and sometimes he tapped on it — as if it were some kind of device that had begun to fail, and only a slight blow can bring it back to working condition.

“Why ... he doesn't leave?” - whispered the doctor, being in some kind of trance.
- What? - did not understand Emilia.

The doctor did not answer, but for a while he stopped knocking on the handle. Isaac, meanwhile, turned his attention to the open panel of electricity and headed towards it. Noticing that the rightmost switch is in a state other than all the others, he switched it. An unpleasant short sound sounded again, and a hologram was displayed. Raytnov continued to watch Angus intently - he, beyond any doubt, looked at the hologram, but there was no surprise in his look, which Raytnov expected. The indignation in the doctor’s gaze slowly turned into anger, and he continued to nervously put his finger on the shackle of his glasses again and again. Emilia opened her mouth in surprise, and slowly looked from the hologram to the doctor and back.

“So,” said Isaac, “was their existence known long before our arrival?”

Isaac had an amazing ability to analyze first, and only then wonder at even the strangest things. However, his complete confusion was fixed on the hologram.

- How is this possible? - he added in a quiet voice.

Emilia left the doctor and also went to the hologram, filled with curiosity. Meanwhile, the titan, judging by the radar data, walked a little around the hangar and was preparing for a new strike. Again there was a dull sound, but this time none of the lamps went out - the hangar armor coped well with its duties. Titan did not hurry to pause, and the second was immediately followed by the third blow, but again to no avail.

The doctor finally pulled himself together and approached the others.

“How could they leave us here, knowing that the titans exist?” - he almost whispered, - what is the real purpose of the expedition?

Raytnov looked up at him, but found no answer. However, the answer to the last question he was going to get just from Angus. For a while, everyone silently watched the virtual model of titanium on the hologram, and at one moment he spread his paws to the sides and opened his mouth.

“Probably, he growls,” the doctor remarked, “he also spread his paws and took a step forward, when he growled at Alpha.

Titan, meanwhile, again turned sideways to the body, preparing for the next blow. But then suddenly he turned and began to slowly move away from the hangar, and the number above him began to slowly grow. When the value reached one hundred meters, the warning sign above the door and the hologram disappeared.

“Yeah,” said Isaac, “an unexpected development.”
“Yes, more than that,” agreed Raytnov.

All continued to stand in a semicircle, although the hologram was no longer there. Barney looked between the faces, but saw nothing but confusion in his eyes.

- Maybe eat? - he finally asked with hope in his voice, - and then we will sort it all out.

Ten minutes later, everyone was sitting at the dinner table. The meal passed in silence - everyone tried to structure the thoughts in his head and did not know where to start. Raytnov, taking a sip of his standard cappuccino and looking out the window, said:

- The storm is weakening. If she is lucky, she will pass by in a couple of hours, which will allow us to inspect the damage even before dark.

Gordon took a sip of black tea and was about to say something, but choked on his drink and coughed. Barney, who was sitting next to, patted him on the back and said:

- Most likely, Gordon wanted to say: “Let's summarize, let's consider what we have now.”

The latter, without ceasing to cough, just pointed to Barney and nodded affirmatively. Raytnov smiled, looking at the amazing mutual understanding of the two pilots.

“Let me summarize some results,” Angus said unexpectedly to everyone in a serious tone.
“Of course,” agreed Wrightnov, slightly surprised.

The doctor got up from the table and began to pace the space next to him.

- Do not pay attention to me, I think so easier. The first and most important point - the existence of the Titans was known long before the arrival of our expedition.
“I would even say, long before the planning of our expedition,” Gordon clarified, finally ceasing to cough.
“True,” Angus agreed, “even so.”
- And what is the second point? - asked Isaac.
- The second point is that the underground cave near Alpha, apparently, has nothing to do with it.

Raytnov met Barney's eyes - they had already made such a conclusion long ago, but is it worth talking about it now? Barney rested his chin on his palm and shook his head, giving Raitnov a silent sign. Instead, he said:

- There is also a third point.

Everyone looked at him questioningly. Barney looked around at everyone, held a short pause and continued:

- We assumed that the titans are dangerous only after dark. But what is darkness? In fact, there is no such thing, because darkness is simply the absence of light. Consequently, both in the conditions of a storm and in the conditions of cloudy weather we experience this very absence of light. In other words, we now know that titans are dangerous not only after sunset, but at any time when its direct rays do not fall on the earth.

The doctor raised his eyebrows slightly — apparently, he did not expect such a subtle comment from a simple military man. Barney noticed and said:

- My profession means not only the ability to shoot, but also to anticipate and analyze.

The doctor immediately looked down and replied, adjusting his glasses:

“I beg your pardon, Barney.” Yes, this is a very subtle and weighty remark.
“In total, we have three points to consider,” Gordon summed up.

Raytnov rose from his seat and said:

“We need to investigate the rest of the corps.” Angus and I were in the laboratory and the medical building, but we need to study them in more detail. Gordon, Barney - remember about those two buildings that are marked on the map, but whose purpose is not specified? I want to find with you a way to get there - what if we find some answers there?
“That sounds reasonable,” Gordon agreed.

Isaac got up from the table and said:

- Guys, I have one more question. Angus, I think you will find it interesting too.

Catching five pairs of interested eyes on himself, he continued:

- Does it make sense to continue research of titans?

Angus scratched his head, trying to formulate a better idea, and answered:

- I think yes. Of course, we can no longer rely on the data that are in our tablets with respect to this planet - they are obviously wrong, now we know for sure. But since we ourselves know practically nothing about titans, it will be useful to study them at least in order to be able to surpass them and survive.

Raytnov looked out the window again - the storm was definitely on the decline. He looked at his watch and said:

“It's fourteen hours twenty minutes.” I have every reason to believe that after a few hours the storm will subside. Perhaps this will happen before dark - in this case, I intend to go outside and inspect the damage received by the hangar. Any interested?
- I! - Angus stepped towards him, - it will definitely be interesting for me to take a look.

Isaac and Emilie looked at each other, and the latter answered for two:

- Yes, we would be interested too.

Rytnov's gaze slid to the pilots.

“I guess you shouldn't even ask you?”

Both nodded without even looking at each other. Raytnov barely noticeably winked at them and continued:

- In this case, I'm in the hangar, you need to complete some work.
“Great,” said Angus, glancing at Isaac and Emilia, “but I still intend to complete the research on the records from your rover.” Are you guys with me?

The guys nodded positively.

“Good,” finished Raytnov, “I will find you when I get ready to go outside.”

With these words, he headed to the hangar. Gordon and Barney got up and followed him. When the three of them retired to the hangar, Raytnov asked the question:

- Have you noticed how strange the doctor behaved during the attack of the titanium?
- And then! - responded Barney, - I watched him all the time. He only did that nervously poked his finger into the shackle of his glasses.
“I noticed that too,” Gordon agreed, “somehow this is all strange.” Do you think this is just a nervous tick, or are the glasses really difficult?
“Something tells me that the second,” Raytnov replied gloomily, “I still remembered his look when he first saw the hologram.” There was not a single gram of surprise, just some kind of anger, and also these nervous tapping on the shackle ...
“As if something went wrong, and these tapping could change something,” Gordon concluded.
“Well, yes,” only Raytnov answered, and then went to the porthole and began to look again at the street.

“Do you think the storm will subside before dark?” Barney asked him.
- Quite possible. In any case, let's check our weapons again, suddenly we have to go out. I would prefer to be ready for any situation.

Barney smiled and felt with his hand a plasma pistol on his belt — he carried it with him all the time he was at the military base.

“There are three automatic rifles and four ... three pistols in our rover," said Gordon, looking at his comrade's belt, "one gun at Barney's belt."
- Why only three machines? Asked Raytnov.
“I left one when we were stuck on the way here,” Barney reminded him.
- Oh, yes, for sure! Well, and in my rover a complete set - four submachine guns and four pistols. Let's check them out.

Barney took a pistol from a holster on his belt and began to turn it in his hands. Then he pulled out the clip and checked the plasma generator - there were no external defects. Finally, Barney put the clip back in and turned the safety lever to mode marked “SD”, which meant “self-diagnosis”. Lowering the barrel down, he pulled the trigger - the gun hummed subtly and slightly vibrated, and then displayed on the small display: “OK”. Similarly, all other weapons were tested - as expected, no problems were identified.

“By the way,” said Barney, putting the last machine gun he tested on the table and putting it on the fuse, “we wanted to diagnose the second rover, right?”

The guys connected the wires to the engine of the rover, and then diagnosed the undercarriage on the lift, however, there were no problems identified either. Gordon nodded satisfactorily - he was definitely pleased with the fact that all weapons and both vehicles were in working condition.

“And there’s another such moment,” said Barney, leaning his shoulder on the rover, “where did you see that turning the radar on and off was controlled by a switch in the electrical box?” Previously, thoughts were occupied with more important things, but now I have something to think about.
“Yes, indeed,” Gordon agreed, “usually such things are regulated more centrally.” And, apparently, the alarm worked only in the hangar, and not in all buildings.

Raytnov looked thoughtfully out the window.

- I think, in the closed buildings something like a control point. We should definitely find something there.

He glanced at his watch - they showed half past five in the evening, and the storm on the street had almost subsided, giving way to the rays of the setting sun.

“Well,” he said, “can you go outside already?” The breeze is insignificant.
“Perhaps,” Gordon agreed, “I’m going for the others.”

He returned a few minutes later and brought the rest with him.

“Now is the time to go outside and look around,” said Raytnov, “the storm has subsided, and a little wind will not interfere with us.” I suggest everyone to arm before leaving.
- Doctor, do you mind if I take your machine gun? - asked Barney, - or else I was so careless that I lost mine.

Angus quickly shook his head.

“Yes, yes, of course, Barney.” From me all the same little confusion - I do not know how to shoot.

Having waited until everyone, except for the doctor, armed himself and checked his automatic machine once more, Raitnov pressed the door-opening button and commanded:

- Gordon, Barney - let's examine the places to which the titan has attached. The rest - you can try to find his tracks, if they remain. Is going?

The doors opened, and they neatly stepped outside. The wind still raised clouds of sand and dust, but did not knock it off its feet and did not interfere with the view to close distances. Raytnov and the pilots immediately began to go around the hangar around the perimeter in search of external damage and soon disappeared around the corner, and the doctor and two assistants began to look for traces. The task was very doubtful, because the wind had long ago equalized the sandy surface, but it was still worth trying. In search of traces, they moved a little way off, and suddenly the doctor exclaimed:

- Found! I see traces!

Isaac and Emilia approached him and began to examine them too. The tracks were visible very clearly, which was a bit confusing. If the traces are distinct, it means they were left quite recently, besides, they were too small to belong to the titanium. Isaac quickly understood everything and worked quickly - he turned to the side where Raytnov and the guys went and shouted:

- Guys, there is a wolf!
- Isaac! - he heard the voice of Emilia.

He turned and saw a formidable silhouette in the dust, gradually approaching them. The silhouette would be barely noticeable if it were not for the two red eyes, burning like lights. Isaac and Emilia threw up their automata and backed away, getting ready to fire, but the doctor stayed where he was and did not move. He just started to put his finger on the shackle of his glasses again. The wolf realized that he had been noticed, so he stopped sneaking, got up on his hind legs and ran on Angus, and after a second he was already at a distance of a jump.

- Heck! The doctor cried out and ducked.

Isaac and Emilia shot at the same time. Two plasma charges hit the wolf when he was already in flight — his carcass flew over Angus and sprayed it with blood.

- Did you hear that? - asked Barney, - I heard a scream, and then machine gun shots.

He quickly headed for the corner of the hangar to catch the doctor and his assistants in sight. Gordon followed him. Raytnov last looked at the walls of the hangar, and, not finding external damage, looked down and also headed for the corner. Suddenly his gaze stumbled upon a fresh footprint in the sand — a footprint that definitely could not belong to the titan.

“Devil,” he swore, “there's a wolf!”

Gordon turned to hear him, and then he tightened his grip on the machine gun and prepared himself. Barney had already turned the corner and did not hear Raytnov’s warning, but, nevertheless, he was already holding the machine at the ready and was ready to fire at any instant. First, he caught sight of the doctor and immediately noticed the wolf carcass next to him. Barney sharply aimed, but immediately realized that the wolf was already dead, so he relaxed for a moment and continued to peer into the dust in search of the silhouettes of Isaac and Emilia.

And then something knocked him off his feet, and someone's blood began to fill his eyes, giving the surrounding landscape an already familiar red tint, as if on Mars. For some reason, Barney thought it was his own blood.

Raytnov and Gordon were already approaching the corner when they noticed the Barney machine gun lying in the sand, as well as a pool of blood and a characteristic groove. Gordon traced where she led and shouted, pointing the direction with the barrel of the machine gun:

- Look!

Raytnov traced the direction and also aimed, but did not shoot. Gordon did not shoot either - the silhouette of the fleeing wolf was too blurred in the dust, and there was a non-zero chance of hitting Barney, whom he had dragged away with him.

I will be glad to see everyone in VK group :)