Chapter 17: The ambush(2)

Every second felt like an eternity. Everything seemed so quiet, so peaceful.

Yet the sand-masked creatures drew ever closer, making increasing noise, while the colossi, albeit at a slow pace, persevered relentlessly in their advance. Seeing this, the leader of the interception squad glanced at Matricule 231, then spoke...

"I take back what I said, I'll follow your instructions."

Matricule 231 nodded. He motioned for the group to follow him to the only point where the sand remained still: the place where the colossi and the Clappers had come from. Thanks to their joint efforts, the squad was soon able to outrun some of the sand-digging creatures, although the majority of them continued to come dangerously close to the group. So everyone had to step up their pace, even if it meant abandoning the slower ones.

However, despite all their efforts, the inevitable happened. More than a dozen creatures leapt from beneath the sand towards the group's stragglers.

The members of the squad did their utmost to help their comrades by aiming at these creatures, which had a body covered in scales, in addition to a strange necklace on their necks, similar to those of the other creatures. The attacking monsters were around thirty centimetres long, and had very short tails, making them very difficult to target. These creatures charged headfirst. Their heads resembled those of a snake without eyes, but with a mouth full of sharp teeth just waiting to sink into the flesh of their future victims. What's more, these monsters didn't hesitate to make use of their small front paws, which they extended as far as possible in front of them to charge the group. These strange front legs ended in large paws containing five small fingers with enormous claws ready to dig into their victims at the slightest touch.

Despite their menacing appearance, all the creatures collapsed to the ground, their bodies melting after barely a shot had been fired by the group's clones. The clones even continued to advance backwards, firing at the moving mounds of sand, which seemed to stop once hit. The majority of the androids imitated their defensive strategy, while the minority of the remaining androids were content to continue their advance without looking back, progressively isolating them from the slower-moving group as they fired. They thus signed their death warrants as some of the creatures noticed their increasingly pronounced isolation. They took advantage of this weakness to pounce on them, tearing several of them to pieces, forcing the few spared to shoot at the creatures attached to their brothers-in-arms.

As the majority of the soldiers were inexperienced marksmen and came from Alice's group, they fired at their targets clumsily, some hitting their colleagues who saw their faces melt as they collapsed to the ground, while the melted corpse of the creature remained clinging to their faces. All the survivors panicked, whether their faces had been mutilated after being saved by their more precise colleagues, or not. They all rushed to join the main group, which had come so close to them, while reducing the number of subterranean creatures attacking them from all sides.

Alice was one of the most competent androids, rarely missing her target. She unconsciously stuck her back to Jeffe's, firing at anything that came near, while keeping a visual eye on the colossus, which was getting closer and closer as the group was slowed down by the underground creatures.

Alice and Jeffe then looked at Matricule 231, who had just eliminated one of the bumps under the sand.

"Chief, we've got to pick up the pace!"

On hearing these words, the leader of the interception squad turned around thinking he was being called, but didn't see one of the bumps coming dangerously close to one of his squad members. This soldier saw his torso torn to shreds by the creature, before his body was pierced by the shots of one of the clones in his squad, who whispered.

"We should have introduced ourselves to avoid any confusion, Chief..."

The leader of the interception group nodded as he took one last look at his friend's body, regretting his lack of thoughtfulness and common sense.

Shortly afterwards, Matricule 231 heeded Alice and Jeffe's advice, ordering the group to quicken their pace while ignoring the creatures beneath the sand, who were becoming fewer and farther between. The colossi, for their part, continued to approach while regenerating their limbs severed by the previous shots, though their rhythms were as slow as ever.

* * *

After more than ten minutes of running, Matricule 231 signalled to the exhausted group to stop, looking around at the seemingly unchanging expanse of desert. One detail changed this vision, however: the blurred appearance of the beginning of a huge crater in the distance. Once the group had come to a halt, Matricule 231 spoke in his usual inexpressive voice, staring at the twenty-nine squad members who had survived the ambush.

"We've gone too far into enemy lines. We're now in the area usually explored by scouts. Our chances of being rescued are slim to nil, and the possible presence of radiation at the crater site means we can't continue with any organic life in this group, so splitting up now would be a very foolish idea given our significantly diminished numbers. So we're going to head south-west of our position to get back in line with our allies, while avoiding our pursuers. We also need to find a name for the creatures that attacked us, for better coordination on the battlefield, any suggestions?"

Everyone nodded at Matricule 231's words, taking their time to think of a short but effective name, although the leader of the interception squad seemed embarrassed, hesitating to speak up, without actually doing so.

Alice was the one to break the silence with a light whisper in Jeffe's direction, who smiled as he replied, then seeing her hesitation, nudged her lightly to motivate Alice, who spoke with an embarrassed air.

"I'd thought of 'Dune', it's short and represents well the first impression you get of these creatures when they move under the sand..."

Matricule 231 stared at her, then at the group with no objections, before replying.

"In that case, we'll christen them 'dune' for the duration of this mission. Start your preparations, we need to leave as soon as possible, the sun is already relatively far west."

As everyone began to turn around, the leader of the interception group spoke in a loud, clear voice, again drawing the attention of the now dispersed soldiers.

"I- ... I owe you an apology for not introducing myself and my squad, it could have caused a lot of trouble if we'd had to communicate more closely... so I'd like to introduce myself, my name is Davis."

The few other soldiers in Davis' group looked at each other, taking it in turns to make simple introductions, before leaving in turn to rest, or simply prepare for the long march ahead.

* * *

Despite the few dozen minutes since their departure, the squad had encountered no monsters. The only sound contrasting with that of the blowing wind and the heavy, continuous footsteps was a discreet humming by the redheaded android, who seemed sadder than usual. This piqued Alice's curiosity, as she approached her while trying to strike up a conversation.

"Melissa, what are you singing?"

Melissa stopped humming, simply looking at Alice with a slightly surprised look, before answering.

"Musical tunes that I enjoy, although I'm not particularly good at it..."

Melissa replied in a low, slightly embarrassed tone. To which Alice blew out her nose at such self-deprecation, which had no place whatsoever.

"I think you sing very well, though. I can tell it's not the first time you've tried, so why devalue yourself when you're so good? Everyone loves to listen to you, you know."

"No... well, there are plenty of people more gifted than me, besides, I couldn't even make a living out of it nie... well, I..."

"No need to be embarrassed about it."

Alice replied with a smile, before adding.

"If you don't mind my asking, why couldn't you make a living out of it?"

"It's..."

Melissa breathed in, taking the time to calm herself before replying in a slightly louder, more audible voice, mixing resignation with a very subtle hint of lingering anger.

"Music bands made up of androids are forbidden where I come from, since we're not human and we easily remember the lyrics and can always play the same way if asked... well, I mean... we'd be unfair competition for all the humans the mega-corporations have raised at their expense hoping to hit the jackpot..."

"Well, there are groups of androids where I live, so why haven't you tried elsewhere?"

"It's the same everywhere, the groups are regulated, and the androids are tailor-made to please, they're only the dolls of their corporations. So an android who wasn't created to sing... wouldn't be allowed to join one of these groups, let alone a foreigner."

"Ah... I didn't know, I'm sorry."

Alice replied, finding nothing more to say.

"It's okay, I gave up on that dream a long time ago, and I'd be too shy to sing in front of crowds of people coming to see me anyway."

Melissa replied, flashing Alice a radiant smile, as the gradually setting sun began to illuminate the horizon in a soft orange hue. Melissa then began to blush slightly, shyly and hastily adding a final sentence as Alice got ready to speak.

"Mai- but... I'm glad you're enjoying my few croonings."

"Not just me."

Alice replied, discreetly pointing at all the squad members who were continuing their walk, trying to ignore exhaustion or weariness.

"I..."

Melissa blushed a little more, and Alice teased her with a slight sneer.

"You used to blush less, especially on the outward journey."

"That's because I was listening to music... Now... I can't really."

"You were listening to music when we could have been attacked at any time?"

Alice replied, surprised.

"Or... yes... Since the others always react before me, it's not really a problem... and I was always listening to the noises around me anyway... I'd like to go home and see-"

Melissa paused, looking away before awkwardly changing the subject.

"It's getting late, the sun's already setting, we should think about setting up camp so the clones can rest, don't you think? Besides, going forward at night would be dangerous, we don't know if they can see us in the dark... Even if it wouldn't be so hot..."

Alice smiled, touching Melissa's shoulder with her index finger with a wry smile, before asking.

"See who again?"

"Nobody..."

Melissa replied even more shyly.

"Oh come on, I wouldn't tell anyone... Just maybe the whole squad..."

"No! I mean..."

Alice laughed out loud as she heard Melissa overreact. As a result, Melissa began to blush more and more as she whispered into the void in a sulky tone.

"Anyway, you must also have someone you care about, or wish to see again enough to endure this nightmare..."

Alice thought almost instinctively of Reiner, then shook her head to banish the thought before chuckling a deliberately imprecise reply.

"Mouais, if you say so."

"I saw you shaking your head..."

Melissa whispered back, prompting Alice to take on a haughty voice as she replaced her hair while retorting.

"I had a dust in front of my optical sensor, it was bothering me."

"Well, if you say so."

Melissa replied, awkwardly trying to imitate the same smile Alice had given her. Her face as red as a tomato, making Alice laugh again, she chatted with Melissa until the sun had almost completely set. It was then that Matricule 231 stopped the group in its tracks and spoke up.

"We don't have the necessary equipment, so we'll do without tents... and everything else that makes a camp. Keep the androids on their toes. You'll all be on watch tonight, and the clones should rest as much as possible, as we leave at dawn. I want the androids to wake us up at the first sign of trouble, so don't try anything impossible. Even if there's only one enemy, there's no guarantee this isn't a trap. Davis, you will command the androids during the night."

"Yes, ma'am."

All the soldiers nodded in agreement, and the clones settled down on the ground, protected only by sand and their jackets, which they laid out on the ground, remaining relatively close together, with the exception of Jeffe, who approached Alice and Melissa.

"I'm counting on you tonight Alice, and good luck, a shift is a hell of a long time when there's nothing to do."

"Don't wish us any harm in saying it'll be quiet... and good night Jeffe."

Alice replied with a smile.

"G-good night..."

Melissa added, not knowing where to put herself, or even if she'd done the right thing by speaking up.

"Thank you."

Jeffe replied with a friendly smile to the two androids, settling down in the same way as his fellow clones, most of whom had already abandoned themselves to the arms of Morpheus.