“The humans still have a nuclear arsenal,” the female reminded.
“And no way to use it now that we’ve removed their allies. Idiots. It’s a good thing we won’t be eating them. Wouldn’t want to be contaminated with their stupidity. Speaking of eating, I think we should celebrate. Shall we go find ourselves a juicy baby for dinner?” the brute suggested.
“Yesss,” hissed the female. “A squirmy and fat one.”
The Krampusonians left the chamber, a place meant to inspire despondency. Several cages filled the space, empty but for the one holding Jaspar and Cade. A cage they would soon escape if all went according to plan.
Jaspar glanced at Cade. “Ready?”
His partner grimaced. “Yes. This better work.”
“Beta wouldn’t have suggested it if we didn’t have a chance.”
“With terrible odds,” Cade grumbled.
“Then we better hope luck is with us.”
Once the AI managed to contact them in the military base, it gave them a choice. Help them escape to their ship, where they could beam aboard as many nubile females as they could fit, or put themselves at risk and destroy the Krampusonian Boulmas before it began stealing children.
The warriors chose the latter, despite it being more dangerous.
“Since the humans wouldn’t let us use their nuclear arsenal, you’re going to have to destroy the Krampusonian ship from within,” Beta had stated.
“And how are we supposed to get on board?” Jaspar asked.
“The general is going to trade you for some children. The Krampusonian will likely bring you aboard.”
“Likely?” Cade questioned. “And if they don’t?”
“You’ll be vaporized. However, the chances of that are low. They are well known for making species fight one another for entertainment,” Beta explained.
“How does being on board help?” Jaspar had questioned. “Won’t we just be swapping prisons? Because I doubt we’ll be given free rein of their ship.”
“You will be caged. However, it won’t hold you for long. Commander Jaspar, you remember the device you planted upon entry to the human base?”
He’d nodded. “Yes. I assume the soldiers didn’t find it, seeing as how you infiltrated their system.”
“The device’s cloaking kept it secure, and it is still attached to the elevator panel. You need to retrieve it when you’re brought to the surface for the trade.”
“And if I can’t get my hands on it?” Jaspar had asked.
“Then the mission will fail.” A blunt statement.
“Let’s say we do manage to grab it, won’t the Krampusonians detect it once we’ve beamed aboard?”
“Possibly, if they scan you for non-organics. However, they only rarely ever contain adults in their cages. Given they’re used to progeny with no means of defense, and the fact you’re going from one incarcerated situation into another, they might not think to search you for weapons.”
“That’s a lot of maybes,” Jaspar muttered.
“Do you have another plan, Commander?” Beta had replied.
They didn’t, and so they hoped for the best as they got led from their cell. Cade had been the one to distract the soldiers crammed in the elevator with them, pretending to be bothered by the confined space. It led to the soldiers crowding Cade as Jaspar pressed against the wall and snuck the device into his closed hand.
Once outside, the exchange happened without them being pulverized. They’d made it aboard without being searched. Now to see if they could complete their new mission to save Earth.
“Stand back,” Jaspar warned as he put the transponder on the floor of their cage and kicked it toward the humming bars. Sparks flew as the device encountered the electrical current, and then, like Beta had on the human base, the AI infiltrated the ship. It happened within seconds, because, unlike the humans, Krampusonians used stolen technology, which Beta had knowledge of.
The hum disappeared, and Cade could safely reach his hand through the bars to manipulate the lever lock holding it shut because the dumb brutes didn’t bother using keyed locks, trusting the current to keep their prisoners in the cage. Jaspar snared the device and exited the cage, moving quickly, following the portable Beta’s direction. While the Boulmas ship currently blocked outside communication and beaming, the transponder they carried contained a mobile version of the AI that could communicate with them, just not their own vessel.
