Authors: Ronan Frost
Ashian was fascinated. Although he understood little
of the Earthman's words, he managed to grasp the concept. "The city
alchemists and scientists have discovered this strange interaction
between current and magnets...It is amazing this knowledge can be
put to such use."
Shaun seemed surprised at Ashian's quickness. "You
understand new concepts very quickly, little one. You have a quick
mind."
Capac impatiently interrupted. "How is this belt
going to help us?"
"Simple. I had a belt in the vacuum helicasuit I
wore, and it didn't take much to remove the insulation and splice
it into a long thin wire. I cut the battery that powers the belt
from the leg padding of my suit, and buried it amongst a pile of
leaves. I put it on full setting, so that more that a thousand amps
will flow through the super conductive wire."
Ashian caught on and finished Shaun's thoughts. "When
the android following us bumps into it he will be fried!"
Capac was still not sold. "How do we know that will
blunder into it? They've been pretty careful to keep out of our
sight so far."
"We use bait," replied Shaun simply. "Me."
Stunned silent followed.
"Are you mad?"
Shaun smiled but said no more.
They had reached the rock Shaun had indicated and as
they fell in behind it. The morning sun was warm on their backs as
they worked. Shaun, with the aid of the sturdy Capac, heaved and
rolled boulders atop larger rocks.
"Move this one here," said the human. "That way, if
dislodged, it will roll straight down between those rocks."
Capac's eyes lit with understanding. "Yes, I see. If
the Sunlord walks between those boulders you'll release this
thing."
"No, you will release it. I'll be down in the
clearing, trying to lure them up here." He paused as he bent his
back and began to prise the large stone free.
Capac quickly came to his aid. "I admire you courage.
What assistance do you need from us?"
"You're going to watch my back. I'll take the miners
rifle down - its long barrel will give me a bit of range. You are
to keep the Auras machine gun and give me some cover fire incase I
find myself on the back foot. As a last resort I will race up this
slope and between those rocks, and that is when you will release
these rolling boulders."
"What about you? Won't you be crushed too?"
"I can look after myself. I'll be expecting them, and
the Hartrias won't." Shaun glanced irritably at his watch. "We are
overtime. The troopers will be sitting in our laps pretty soon if
we don't hurry up."
Shaun pulled the beacon from the leg pocket of his
helicasuit and punched in a code sequence. He looked up sharply and
turned to the Eloprin hunter.
"I've got a reading. Quickly, pass me the
Scavala."
Capac raced to where the rifle had been stowed and
passed it over. His large green eyes betrayed a hint of emotion.
"Be careful."
Shaun nodded curtly. "Watch my back, and stay under
cover!"
Ashian saw the human make his way down the slope,
bounding from boulder to boulder like a mountain goat. Turning to
Capac he asked;
"Now what?"
"We wait. Ashian, move over that outcropping and stay
hidden. You can see where Shaun and I have set up the boulders...?
Okay, I want you to release them on my command. Myshia, stay close
to me and keep you bow at the ready. I want to be prepared incase
Shaun fails. The instant the Sunlords appear we fire with
everything we've got."
Ashian watched silently as Shaun's figure receded
into the distance. "Do you really think he'll fail?"
"We're not going to rely on his wild scheme. Just be
ready."
Ashian saw the wisdom of the skilled hunter's words,
but deep within refused to accept Shaun could fail. From the
instant they had met, the human had seemed a quick-footed
individual somehow capable of sidestepping death itself.
But Ashian knew the coming encounter would test even
Shaun's skills. The Sunlords were heavily armoured and fiercely
determined. On the other side of the coin, the natives were
prepared and held the element of surprise.
Ashian knew it would be a terrible and bloody
battle.
* * *
Gurhuin stopped in his tracks and lay a hand on
Lazarus's arm.
"Something's wrong."
The android stopped and looked about. They stood in a
small valley, following the scant trail of their prey between the
rocks. A small stream trickled through the rocks nearby, giving
rise to a clump of trees and shrubbery. To either side a sheer
cliff face confronted them, and the ground before them cambered up
in a gently slope.
Lazarus's thorough check reported negative, and he
continued to move onwards. The computer had given the android
greater authority and it took no heed of Gurhuin's warning
words.
Gurhuin's brows furrowed behind his silver reflective
face mask. The hairs on the back of his neck rose as he attempted
to pierce the wall of trees and rocks with his gaze. His instincts
told him something was wrong, that a trap had been set.
Suddenly deciding, he set off at a run on a path
tangential to Lazarus's, aiming to curve around behind the clump of
trees. Already his computer aided vision was picking a way up the
cliff face that avoided the sheerest of the slopes. His Auras rifle
slung into its slot on the back of his armour, the A-squad warrior
clambered up the stone wall.
Lazarus continued on oblivious to its companions
departure. Its only duty was to seek out and destroy the natives
any way it saw fit.
A shrill buzzing alerted itself to Lazarus's mind.
For one-hundredth of a second the android paused as the whining
grew louder and identification was confirmed. The android ducked
just in time to avoid the bullet as it whizzed overhead. Another
shot followed in quick succession but Lazarus' evasion systems were
unbalanced and the bullet caught the android in the thigh. It ran
forward awkwardly, bringing forth its deadly weapon as the
trajectory plot pinpointed his prey.
Lazarus did not see the microscopically thin wire.
Strung about ankle height between a pair of trees it caught the
android unawares. A split second later its outer layer of flesh
shivered like jelly as thousands of amp's of current earthed itself
through its metal frame - relays and circuit boards blowing
instantly. Twisting Lazarus fell and with a final convulsion it
spasmed upon the ground before exploding in a shower of metal parts
and fire.
Gurhuin had heard the shots and used his telescopic
sight on his Auras to zoom up on the scene below; just in time to
see Lazarus burst apart as if the metal man had swallowed a rocket
detonator.
Lights flashed on his heads up display as the heat
detecting scanner picked up multiple life forms. The A-squad
infantryman bounded over the rocks in easy silky motions, his Auras
rifle steady and level against his eye as he quickly closed upon
his unsuspecting prey.
Two hundred metres down the slope Shaun shot a final
round into the motionless heap of scrap iron that had been the
android. His ploy had worked perfectly, for the android had been
too busy avoiding Shaun's gunfire to avoid the line of wire. Shaun
lay behind a large boulder, the cross-hairs of the long barrelled
rifle scanning the terrain. The ancient weapon was elevated about
ten degrees so that it could make the range, but the computer-aided
sights were still straight and accurate.
Shaun allowed himself a moment of congratulation
before standing warily to scan the rest of the slope.
The beacon was in his hands, scrutinising the
landscape for any other Hartrias troops.
The light flashed one affirmative blink as Gurhuin's
radio pack relayed a signal back to the Urisa. The small beacon,
enhanced with the chips Shaun had installed, traced the source of
the intercepted transmission.
"Behind?"
Fear flushed Shaun's face. He picked up the Scavala
and leapt from his shelter, heedless of danger to himself. His worn
leather boots slipped and skidded on the mossy rock and he fell,
soaking his helicasuit in the pools of dirty water.
Capac saw the human approach and waved broadly.
Nearby Ashian had emerged from behind a rock.
Shaun waved them down, and shouted at them.
"Get down! Look behind you!"
But the wind carried his words away and were lost in
the distance. The natives now wore bemused expressions as Shaun
waved furiously at them.
Capac was first to catch on. He pivoted quickly, his
quickness of instinct saving them all from certain death. The place
were he had stood moments before was showered in splinters of rock
as he rolled away. Myshia and Ashian hugged the ground at the sound
of gunfire from behind them. Myshia's sharp eyes made out a flicker
of movement darting from one shelter to another.
"They're coming from above!"
The three natives scattered before the hail of
projectiles. Myshia gasped as an explosive tipped bullet tore into
her arm, twisting her savagely around as if someone had given her a
shove. Blood flew as she hit the slabs of granite at her feet.
A whining zipped over their heads, and Ashian
realised it was Shaun giving them some cover. The fire forced
Gurhuin to take cover, giving the natives enough time to scramble
for cover. Capac heaved at Myshia's prone form and dragged her into
cover.
The female Eloprin gasped, her eyes fluttering with
pain. Capac quickly tore apart her cloak and inspected the damage.
Dismay lit his face as he saw her shoulder was a bleeding mass, her
collar bone and humerus broken. White splinters of bone were
submerged as blood flowed freely from the raw wound. Tearing shreds
from his own cape Capac wrapped a tourniquet about Myshia's
shoulder. He kept his head low as the gunfight continued between
Shaun and their unidentified assailant.
Ashian knew that Shaun would never be able to reach
them in time. The attacker was closing in fast and his bullets were
chipping away the rock near his face. He bowed his head and drew
his legs up around his belly as he began to pray.
Once Myshia had been seen to Capac cast about for a
weapon. He swore as he saw he had dropped the Auras rifle and it
lay in the open five metres from where lay. To the hunter, that
five metres was a gap that could never be broached.
Myshia groaned as the pain bore down upon her,
ripping her frail mind apart. Images danced and flashed before her
eyes, her pulse loud in her ears. Light flashed and distorted
sounds rebounded about the hollow cavern in her mind. Dark shadows
lurched and soared above her head, flickering torchlight in a deep
subterranean cavern.
Sudden power surged from the depths of her being, and
her body convulsed in response. Reality was crushed like a
sandcastle upon a beach, the looming presence of the wave
teetering, falling, then crashing to the ground.
Capac's attention came back to Myshia as she screamed
and beat at the rock. With every beat of her fists the very earth
itself seemed to shake. Her cry was loud and wrenching, almost
sexual.
A fierce gust of wind swept the land like a hot
breath of air direct from a volcano, a peel of thunder crackling
overhead.
Ashian was the only one to see the trooper fall.
Gurhuin had just stepped from his cover, his Auras rifle raised to
his eye, when the bolt of fire hit him. He was cast like a rag doll
as the bolt hit in the belly and pushed him backwards,
somersaulting crazily through air. The mighty A-squad warrior did
not hit the ground. Instead, his flesh was disintegrated into
ashes, demonic fire lancing through his open flesh. The wind picked
up the black shreds and dispersed them - individual flakes drifting
lazily to the ground.
Ashian could not believe his eyes. He stared blankly
at the puff of fading smoke long after it had all but
disappeared.
Myshia gasped, her eyes rolled up into her head but
still seeing. Long minutes later she awoke to find Shaun and
Capac's visage overlooking hers.
"Thank the gods!" said Capac, relief in his voice.
"She's alive!"
She struggled to find her bearings but suddenly
stopped with the throb of her shoulder wound. She fell back, and
allowed Capac to retie the tourniquet.
The seasoned hunter froze as he unwrapped the
bandage, for the wound had partially healed! Looking closer, Capac
saw that although her shoulder was heavily lacerated, no bone
projected. Deciding his mind must have misinterpreted the damage
during the heat of the battle, Capac resettled the bandage and
cleared his mind of the subject.
Myshia's being slowly filled the void of her body. It
was an uncomfortable fit, as if her mind had been in another
location other than her head.
Shaun was scanning the area and was relieved to
announce no other troopers lurked in the surrounding trees and
rocks. He came over to the natives once more.
"I'm sorry, but I had no idea one had sneaked around
the back."
"It's not your fault," said Capac. "We should have
been ready."
Ashian had joined the others. "W...What happened back
there?"
Doubt clouded Capac's mind. "Shaun managed to shoot
the Sunlord, didn't he?"
"Not I. I was still out of range, and was simply
firing off a cover. Wild shots that were not intended to hit their
target."
"Maybe a fluke shot...?"
Ashian shook his head in the negative. "I saw it just
explode. No weapon on this planet could have done that."
"I don't know," put in Shaun. "It's possible a chance
shot sparked the explosives stored in the trooper's pack. Some of
those beasties can level an entire mountain."
"What are the chance of a shot like that?"
Shaun shrugged. "Slim, I must say, none-the-less
possible."
A silent pall fell over the gathering as they turned
their attention back to Myshia.