Slammer, Hex, and the Tinkerer had all taken cover behind the portal. Slammer was the only one who was really effective at aiming his blaster while remaining mostly behind cover. The rhythmic sound of his blaster was oddly soothing.

Unfortunately, the guards attacking them had prudently stayed out of the range of Hex’s mind control abilities. Worse yet, they were wearing the suits and helmets that their predecessors had not been. One of them tossed some sort of grenade – probably not explosive since the guards wouldn’t want to damage the portal. Slammer managed to kick it away before it started throwing out poison gas or anything.

Erd’s stunner probably wouldn’t work through the suits, so he grabbed wildly for his blaster. Since he normally preferred the stunner, it took his hand an extra couple of seconds to find the blaster. Meanwhile, a head, arm, and shoulder came momentarily into view as a guard prepared to throw another grenade. Hammer blasted the guard quickly and efficiently. Our of the corner of his eye, Erd saw that both Hammer and Buzz had managed to take partial cover behind some loaded pallets. Only he was standing near the lift like a fool. He hastily followed their example.

If it hadn’t been more the masks, Erd wouldn’t have been able to hear what Hammer was saying. The earpieces filtered out the ambient noise well enough that he could hear what his teammate was saying.

“In about five seconds I’ve going to lay down a heavy barrage of covering fire. Both of you run towards the portal immediately. I have stuff to cover myself with, so I can make it after you – if both of you run immediately. Don’t wait.”

What could Hammer have? Maybe some kind of static generator that might confuse whatever sensors their enemies might have?

There was no time to argue, and if Hammer had a plan, it would be criminal to ruin it. Erd had none.

He ran, and heard Buzz behind him. When he reached the shelter of the portal he dared turn and look back. What Hammer had were awesome skills. He might seem to expose himself for an instant, but when the shot came he wasn’t there. And even if a head and shoulder appeared for only an instant to fire at him, he blasted them away.

Hex, Slammer, and the tinkerer were all working in tandem on the portal. A vision of an island appeared through it, but it was marred by waves of distortion. Erd knew they could not safely pass through until it stabilized.

Just after Hammer destroyed the last of his opponents, the destination became stable. Green indicator lights lit up on the sides of the portal. It might not last, so Hammer prudently began to run. Just in case a surviving enemy still hid behind the boxes, he still fired a few sporadic shots in that direction. He did not pause to aim or even turn his head to look. This strategy seemed to pay off until he was a scant few yards from the portal. Erd opened his mouth to scream a warning when a head and a heavy two handed weapon suddenly became visible from behind a tall crate. Before he could make a noise, there was a loud report and Hammer’s massive frame staggered backwards. The head vanished, and surely the heavy weapon would take time to reload.

From the horrible huge hole in his chest Hammer was obviously dead. Yet there were worlds where even the dead could be brought back to life if you had the body.

He and Buzz shared an instantaneous glance, obviously thinking the same thing. The three holding the portal stable could not leave their stations, or it would be closed and they would probably be trapped here, unable to reopen it before more guards came. If Buzz had any gadgets which would make the job easy he would already have deployed them, so the two of them together would be needed to drag Hammer in the few seconds they had to spare. There was no time to talk, and the two of them moved as one.

They dashed out and each grabbed Hammer from one side, ignoring the horrible fluid and entrails from the gap in his chest. The next report was much higher pitched and not as loud. Their tormentor had drawn a much lighter weapon for his next shot instead of reloading. Neither of them seemed to have been hit. Erd managed to squat down without dropping his half of the body, though he staggered as Buzz failed to move with him. He yelled for Buzz to duck, but even as he spoke another shot rang out. Buzz dropped the body instantly. Erd saw that his whole shoulder had been blown away, and his arm was linked to his torso by only a thin line of bloody flesh and shattered bone. Carrying Hammer was now impossible, and Buzz seemed paralyzed with shock and internal injuries. Erd let the body slide to the ground and grabbed Buzz and helped him to the portal.

Initially he had planned to push Buzz through, then see if there was some way he and his team could help Hammer. But Buzz needed to be half carried or he would collapse. And they were still under fire. He dragged Buzz through. A moment later the other three survivors passed through behind him.

He knew the portal receiver area was monitored.

“Sargon! We need emergency medical for Buzz!”

At the rate Buzz was bleeding internal fluids, Erd wasn’t sure he would survive until help arrived. Sorcery wouldn’t help, and the Guardian base wasn’t hosted in a universe where he could successfully do healing magic. Erd got out his first aid kit, so well equipped for ordinary circumstances, so pathetic for this one. His bandages were doing well enough considering. He pulled out another hypodermic of anticoagulant but hesitated. It wasn’t a magical cure for bleeding, and too much could cause heart failure.

Then a team in white uniforms came in with a stretcher. They looked like EMT’s from Earth. Well, Erd had never been to Earth and wouldn’t think that, but Simon decided he surely knew what well trained and equipped doctors from a high tech world could do. Erd stood out of the way and let them do their job.

Slammer said, “Now tell me why my brother died.”

Erd said unhappily. “You saw what happened.”

Slammer nodded, but his gaze demanded more.

Erd said defensively, “Slammer, I know you’re going to say we shouldn’t have left him even though he said to, but –”

Slammer shook his head slowly. “No. Then all three of you would have died, and his sacrifice would have been meaningless.”

Sargon’s voice came from all around them, perhaps emanating from hidden speakers. “Buzz will be well cared for. You won’t help him by standing around worrying, and we still have things to do to make his suffering and Hammer’s sacrifice worthwhile. Please clean up and meet me in my office in an hour.”

In a way it sounded kind of cold, but who knew how Sargon’s species expressed empathy? Anyhow, he was right.