"The moment has come! Let's notify Norm!" Jamie exclaimed. Blue deactivated [Ambush] and once she was visible again the girl raised a torch and turned it on. Since they couldn't scream because of the ultrasound (and even if they did they wouldn't be heard) and because of the electromagnetic pulse they couldn't use telecommunication devices, the simplest choice for fast communication was light.

As soon as she glimpsed the flashlight in the distance, Norm knew it was time. The scientist was inside the colony's air conditioner, which controlled that the air didn't become too cold. Even with the glass dome capturing the sun's heat, Davis was still too cold to be bearable by humans, so the base was dotted with pipes carrying hot water that released steam to keep the temperature stable.

However, controlling the temperature of the base in this way also had tactical advantages. Norm cranked up the heat, warming the air a few degrees every second. And if there was one rule that applied throughout the universe, it was that hot air always went up.

The dinosaurs used [Teleportation] as soon as they sensed the temperature was rising and took the scientists to the colony's cold room. While this made them shiver from the cold, it was still better than staying outside. "We'll get you out as soon as it's all over" Blue announced, and then teleported back to face the hole with the enemy soldiers inside, who were visibly dying.

The lungs were very delicate organs and extremely sensitive to heat. Above seventy degrees they could only last for a few minutes before charring, and above ninety only for a few seconds. The maximum temperature that the colony could reach was eighty degrees, but that was enough. In addition, the warm air carried oxygen upwards, making the air unbreathable.

For the dinosaurs, that wasn't a problem thanks to [Apnea]. Even though they were quite hot, they could handle it. But humans, without their oxygen tanks, were hopeless. They would be dead in minutes.

However, the dinosaurs weren't going to wait that long. Even though the soldiers were confused, unable to react and were suffocating, they still wanted to end that battle as soon as possible. So they threw themselves into the hole and started tearing their opponents to pieces.

The elite soldiers of the Empire would have been a tough challenge if they had faced each other on equal terms. But now they were too weak to even think about fighting back. It was a one-sided massacre, even simpler than the one Sobek had carried out years earlier when he vanquished the resistance forces in Cartago.

As soon as all their opponents were exterminated, the dinosaurs ran to turn off the ultrasound and lower the temperature. Before long, conditions in the colony were livable enough for them to deactivate [Apnea] and take off their ear plugs. At that point they went to reopen the cold room and freed the scientists.

"So, is it done?" Liam asked as soon as he was out of the cell.

Blue nodded. "They're all dead" she confirmed. The scientists breathed a sigh of relief.

"What do we do with the bodies?" Norm asked.

"Don't worry, we'll take care of their disposal" a large tyrannosaurus said. Norm preferred not to ask for explanations.

But Jamie soon brought attention back to herself: "This isn't the time to think about these things! We don't know if the Imperials will attack again" she said. "We need to contact Eden Union immediately and find out what's going on there before…"

"No need, I'll tell you" said a voice. Everyone turned to see that Old Li had appeared next to them, visibly gasping from the still too hot, albeit bearable, temperature. "I take it you got away with it" Read complete version only at Novᴇl_Fire(.)net

"Yes, that's right" Blue confirmed. "How are things on our home planet?"

"Exactly! Does it still exist?" Norm asked breathlessly.

The ankylosaurus nodded. "For now, yes" he confirmed, making everyone sigh in relief. "Currently we have already destroyed 70% of all atomic and thermonuclear bombs and all Hellfire bombs"

"The Hellfire bombs?" Liam exclaimed. "How did you find them?"

"It wasn't us. It was RE/SYST" Old Li replied. "Apparently, they had a spy inside the enemy base, which allowed them to hack into the bombs and send them out of Eden's orbit, where they detonated harmlessly. They communicated it a little while ago to the Eden Union"

This was flattering. The disappearance of the Hellfire bombs meant that the world had one less foot in the grave. "Who was the spy?" Liam asked.

"Some guy called Malcolm Croft"

"Croft!?"

"Yes. Did you know him?"

"More or less… where is he now?"

"RE/SYST has notified us that he is dead. He sacrificed himself to send bombs out of orbit"

Liam felt breathless for a few seconds. He couldn't believe what he had just been told.

Dead. Croft was dead. The man who had taught him everything and who had then betrayed him. Liam had hated Croft for a long time… but he'd never wanted to see him dead. "At least in death he regained his honor" he whispered. "How long has it been a part of RE/SYST?"

"I have no idea. You can ask one of them when this situation is over" Old Li answered.

Liam nodded. He sure would have. Realizing that he couldn't stand on her legs much longer, he sat down on the ground. Jillian put a hand on his shoulder.

Blue decided to change the subject: "Can we give the all-clear order?"

"No, not yet" Old Li replied. "Not until we take control of the Empire"

"How long will that take?"

"Buck, Carnopo, Mazu and Apache are starting the attack now, supported by the Eden Union. With a little luck, we'll have the upper hand in less than an hour"

"And the emperor?"

"Rambo is still looking for him. He's the only one who knows the location of the remaining bombs, so we have to find him"

"The pack leader?"

"The Eden Union's satellites and Monica's exploration teams are still looking for him"

The velociraptor nodded. "Should we expect another attack on the colony?"

"Improbable, but I advise you to not let your guard down" Old Li replied. "We don't know how crazy our enemy can become when cornered. It is unlikely that they will soon notice the failed attack on the colony, given the communications problem, but it's better to not risk it"

With the enormous distance between Davis and Eden, it took a while for communications to reach the two planets. Therefore the Empire still didn't know about the failed attack. Even if they could have taken radio silence as a bad sign, they could not have established it for at least half an hour.

"I have to go now. Please be careful" Old Li said, and then he teleported away.

Blue sighed and slumped against Eema's side. "What a day…" she grumbled with a really tired voice.