She pointed to a strange being with short, white hair and a peculiar, green creature crawling on her shoulder.
Caru’s eyes remained fixed on Zo’s. “Andralec, kill one of the snatchers.”
Kree crinkled her face. Snatcher?
As the weird humanoid marched forward, her hair receded into her bare skull. Shadow markings, like those of the surrounding Skalags, slowly appeared across her brow.
She stared at a ledge more than 50 yards overhead, and two green streams shot from her eyes. A screech and ear-piercing clicks followed as one of the monsters tumbled from the cliff and splat the stony trail near the group. Copper-colored goo oozed from several lacerations as the massive, white bear lumbered closer and sniffed the limp body.
Kree gawked at the robot and gasped. “How can she change to look like a Skalag?”
Zo looked at Thoruk. “We’ve been trying to kill those monsters but never could. How did that thing do it?”
While the android turned and strolled back to her spot, the markings on her forehead faded and her hair reappeared in a lighter shade of auburn that draped over her shoulders. “I can change to look like anybody I want.”
The Uke leader approached the carcass. Smoke from a couple of scorched holes floated higher. “Look here. Snatchers have two hearts.”
He motioned with his hand. “One near the chest and the other tucked between its hindquarters. Strike both, and they will die.”
“That’s good to know, but I meant how did she shoot the thing when we couldn’t even see it over that ridge? By the way, we call those things clickers, not snatchers.”
“Ah, that makes sense because of the noise they make.”
The young man with a wavy nest atop his head joined Thoruk’s side. “I’m Teli. Let me help with this one. Fortunately, our drones can mark a target from their vantage point, and Andralec has the ability to bend her laser beams around corners or ledges to strike the targets.”
The clan ruler eyes grew large, and he looked at Caru. “You made a good point earlier. Whether we trust each other or not, it makes sense to work together.”
Furious, Kree tossed his hand aside and stomped away. “You’re gonna regret working with them, you fool!”
He turned his head. “Kree?”
Without responding, she continued to storm ahead.
Porcupine Forest
Tradulka carefully lifted his bow and nocked the arrow. The buck’s hindquarter twitched before jerking its head to the rear and releasing a shrill snort.
A blue spruce rustled no more than 15 feet behind it. The deer spun in its direction and lowered its antlers with the sharp tines pointed at its hidden stalker.
Slowly sucking a breath, Tradulka drew the string partway. His heart hammered his chest.
His curious side begged him to wait and see if two bucks were about to battle, but he’d never forgive himself if some Skalag or stupid varmint scared off his prize. From the corner of his eye, he noticed his buddy staring at him.
Tradulka pulled the string back as far as he could. With his numb hands trembling a bit, he held his breath to steady his aim. It’s now or never.
When he released his grip, something leapt from the brush and spooked his buck. The arrow struck the massive whitetail’s rump.
In a flash, a six-legged monster galloped toward its prey before rising and crashing its forelegs down across the startled deer’s back. A loud crack spiked the air, and the victim’s spine cratered as it crumpled to the ground.
Tradulka’s gut roiled while he watched in disbelief. The snatcher harvested the organs with blazing speed.
Bartuk nudged him and smeared Hoot’s mushroom concoction across his arrowhead. Tradulka did likewise.
His buddy whispered. “I’ll take the heart to the fore, you go for the rear. Fire on my signal.” Tradulka nodded as he lifted his bow and located his target.
As the beast maneuvered to mount the carcass, Bartuk whistled. When the vicious snatcher turned, he hollered. “Now!”
Tradulka let go of the shaft. Both arrows streaked through the air and struck the monster. The creature screeched while it hopped and jerked in agony before racing into the thicket.
Sharp chirps and horrific cries trailed its zig-zagging course through the forest. A bright, bluish-white beam streaked from the upper reaches of the sky, and a moment later, nothing but an eerie silence filled the air.
Bartuk’s weathered face remained solemn. “Got it good but don’t think we killed it. Looks like that molecular transference thing must have scooped it up. Hoot called it a moletran.”
A small smile cracked his lips. “I’m starting to feel a little better.”
“About time.” Tradulka set his bow against a pine. “We’ll have to let Hoot know her concoction worked — sorta.”
“Yep, and we better tell Thoruk what we found.” Bartuk’s wry grin grew wider. “And maybe, I won’t mention you butt-shot your trophy.”
Not amused in the slightest, Tradulka snapped. “You must be feelin’ okay.” He shot a glare. “Better not tell a soul.”
His buddy winked. “I’ll do my best.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Morphing of a Butterfly
The Base of the Mountains
Try as he might, Zo couldn’t help but stare at the woman who had killed his mother. How could someone who was that small be so destructive?
Her radiant, brown eyes never wavered but looked directly at him with a hateful gaze he recognized in himself. No way she knew what she was doing. She was just a kid.
Gno pointed at Andralec. “Why can’t we just take that robot thing and kill them all? Their clicking drives me batty!”
A voice resonated from the craft hovering above. “It’s not that simple. My drone has located thousands in the mountains, but there could be larger numbers hidden deep in the caves. While my equipment can identify lifeforms within the shallower depths, it can’t find the ones hunkered more than 100 feet under the surface. Andralec, show them.”
After the robot walked over to a flatter portion of the bluff, a broad light beamed from her eyes and reflected against the rocky surface. Hundreds of clickers scaled cliffs with ease in the vision displayed.
Gno’s mouth gaped wide. “No wonder the noise is so loud.”
Zo gasped. “All of those are up there in the mountains?”
Caru stared at him. “Absolutely! The admiral captured these videos with the drone. With such a large colony, they could kill most, if not all of us. We figure they haven’t been more aggressive because of the drones, but that may not last long. In Old China, the same kind of creatures have already killed millions.”
Zo gulped. “Millions? None of their traders ever mentioned that. In fact, we thought China was the one creating the denamods.”
Hoot removed her gloves and stuck them in a side pocket of her fur leggings. “One thing is certain; they’re not mutants from Earth.”
“What do you mean?”
Untying her leather cape, she set it aside and moved closer to the fire. “These predators are aliens from some other part of the universe. We really don’t know the specific location they’re from or the level of intelligence.”
The light of the flames flickering across her mesmerizing curves caught Zo’s attention. Her black vest provided a stark contrast against her pale and lightly freckled skin.
Quickly shifting his gaze, he slowly sat on a boulder and shook his head. “I can’t believe this is happening. At first, I was sure it was you, Ukes.
The drone’s speaker resonated again. “The confusion is understandable. When the killings started in China, the CRINKTs thought it was your clan’s handiwork.”
Zo wrinkled his forehead. “Now, you’re telling me they’re from outer space. Doesn’t seem possible.”
“It is. I’m sure you’ve seen the bright flashes after they’re injured.”
“Bluish-white beams of light?”
“Yes. According to witnesses in China, the in
jured creatures fade in a swirl of colored particles, leaving a scorched patch from where their bodies disappear.”
Whirring filled the android’s chest before she spoke. “Given the latest reports, the probabilities overwhelmingly point to molecular transference to another location.”
Gno’s jaw dropped. “What are you talking about?”
The robot replied. “The creature’s molecular structure is broken down into tiny particles, transported to a distant destination, and reconstructed into its original form. Such capabilities are only in experimental phases on Earth.”
Teli blurted. “Like in science fiction movies we’ve watched.”
Andralec smiled. “Similar in theory but more advanced.”
Rubbing his temples, Gno appeared confused. “Science fiction? Movies?”
Teli chuckled. “I’ll explain it later.” The Skalag kept a straight face and nodded.
Thoruk scowled at his son. “Let’s keep our focus on the aliens.”
Sitting off to the side, a man with short, ratty hair and wearing an odd pair of clear glasses over his eyes piped up. “Good point. This invasion is the greatest threat humans have ever faced — worse than the World Annihilation Period of the 2020s.”
While he listened, Zo wondered what had become of Kree and glanced over his shoulder. “I don’t doubt that.”
A muscular Uke with long, black hair and darker glasses poked at the splattered carcass with a stick. “Notice how this sucker hasn’t disappeared? Seems they’re only able to transport live ones. Why is that?”
Without hesitation, the ratty-haired man piped up again. “Nobody seems to know — just speculation — lacking brain activity, the dead aliens may not be able to communicate their location. Your guess is as good as ours.”
Zo looked at him. “I forgot. What’s your name again?”
“Queasy. I’m Ukkiville’s lead scientist.”
“I’ll remember next time. A lot of what all of you are saying makes sense. I’ve been convinced these things are much more intelligent than one would suspect of denamods. The way they blocked two mountain trails and draped a couple of our Skalags over the cliff after beheading them — seemed too much like a warning. Then, the way they’ve been stalking us for days without attacking — it’s unnatural.”
He reached into his pocket. “Stranger yet, I found this in Spider’s grip after we retrieved her body.” He lifted a shiny, three-pronged object with peculiar symbols.
Silence filled the air before the admiral’s deep voice interjected. “Would you mind letting us borrow it for a while? I’d like to run it through our analyzers to determine its composition.”
Hesitating a second, Zo stared at the metallic piece. Why should I trust them? What if it’s powerful, and they use it against us?
Unsure, he looked at Caru. When she nodded, he gingerly extended his arm and Teli approached. The behemoth Skalag guard quickly stepped in front of Zo.
“It’s okay. Let him pass.” When the brute retreated, Zo reached out to Caru’s brother. “Here, I have no means of studying its structure.”
Teli lifted his palm. “I’ll make sure the admiral gets it.”
Zo placed it in his hand and stared at the drone. “Be sure to inform me of your results.”
“I will. Also, I’ll be monitoring the alien activity and warn of any threatening developments. I’ll do my best to make sure they don’t hurt any of you while we’re preparing.”
Thoruk strolled over and sat on a rocky ledge next to his daughter. “You have no need to fear us. Our Texas friends will continue to share ideas with the CRINKTs. It will do us no good if we find a way to eliminate the aliens here, only to have more transferred from some other part of the world.”
Caru pointed at the monsters on the ledge above. “We’ve discovered that their bodies have strong allergic reactions to venom and mushroom spores, but given the size of the colony, we’ve got to find other means.”
Her father smiled. “Absolutely, we have to identify the best ways to effectively halt their spread and let them know Earth is not to be messed with.”
Zo rose. “Agreed. We can help.”
He motioned toward an older woman with a smudged face and tattered clothes. “Jrok’s got a huge crop of mushrooms.” He looked at his sister. “And Vra knows lots about venom from her work with the sting-suckers and other large wasps.”
His brother hopped to his feet. “I might have a couple of denamods that I could rig to spray the spores.”
A broad smile filled Queasy’s tired face. “Blazes, that would be wonderful! Caru can show you her plans to modify arrowheads to deliver the spores and venom as well.”
As she nodded, Zo peered at her. Is this real? We’re going to be working together? The brash girl from his past had morphed into the beautiful woman before him. With each breath, his heart grew warmer.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Misgivings
Three Days Later on October 29, 2105
One of the Zo’s Workshops
Zo stared at Quaker 2, deep inside the largest of the Skalag caves. After welcoming the Uke contingent and agreeing on the assignments a few minutes earlier, a sigh of relief escaped his chest. The heavy burden of worry for his clan’s safety no longer belonged to him, and him alone.
While he and his trusted leaders still harbored misgivings and varied levels of reluctance, most seemed receptive to working with their former enemies. Better to have allies when we face these monsters.
Try as he may, his focus faded as he wondered about Kree. Where is she? Did a clicker get her?
The guards hadn’t seen her since he and his leaders met the Ukes that first day. I hope Vra’s heard from her? Though his heart ached, he owed it to his people to block out the pain and deal with the tasks at hand.
He removed a panel to the controls of Quaker 2 and looked at his newfound helpers. “Have you two figured out how to use that Halo Power stuff?”
Teli looked at Andralec before responding. “We’ve got some ideas, but we need to check out your invention to see if it can be converted.”
“Quaker is really my Uncle Scientokt’s creation, but after you Ukes killed him in the last battle, I’ve added significant enhancements.” Zo pointed at a set of multi-colored cables running from the controls to a rack of computer boards within the belly of the huge machine. “Well, go ahead and look.”
Sporting bright orange hair and clothing yellower than a dandelion, the peculiar android leaned forward. “Fairly interesting, but I can glean details more quickly from your schematics if they’re available.”
Disappointed in the lack of admiration for his latest handiwork, Zo plodded toward a file cabinet in the corner. “Over here.”
The robot joined him as he lifted a bulging leather case. “This should do it. These folders contain everything there is to know about Quaker.”
While Andralec swiped them from his hands, Vra’s voice interrupted. “You wanted to see me?”
Zo whirled. “Yes, let’s talk over here.”
He guided her into the huge hallway and whispered. “Kree hasn’t shown up yet. Have you seen her?”
“I spotted her the evening we got back home, but she did seem strange. She wouldn’t look at anybody, and when I called her, she ran deeper into the caverns.”
He frowned. “It isn’t like her not to come to bed.”
Vra cocked her head. “I don’t think she took kindly to your looking at Caru the way you did. She’s been pretty jealous just from the mention of her name in the past.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The way you and that Uke woman looked at each other. You may not have noticed, but as I mark my soul, Kree did. Who knows what’s on her mind right now?”
“Do me a favor. If you see her again, do your best to reason with her. Tell her I miss her.”
“I’ll try, but she may not be in a talking mood.”
“If that’s the case, keep an eye on her. Find out what she’s up
to. Okay?”
“Fine, but I don’t like being anybody’s snoop. I’ll do it just this one time, for you.” She shook her head. “I know we have to work with the Ukes, but you better be careful how you look at Caru if Kree’s in the area.”
“I’ll try to remember.”
“You better. Now, I gotta run and catch up with Gno. We’ve got denamods to enhance.” She grinned and hurried down the dark hall.
When Zo returned to the room, Andralec had already removed some of Quaker’s computer boards and cables. He clenched his jaw. No! She’s an idiot!
He rushed to her side. “What are you doing?”
“Since I had already deciphered your schematics, and you were busy doing who-knows-what, it made little sense to wait. The probability of enhancing your equipment to receive a direct energy feed from a Halo and convert it into powerful laser beams is very high, so I started making the necessary modifications.”
She looked him in the eye. “Time is precious with what we have on our agenda.”
He crossed his arms. “Fine, but this is my baby, and I want to know exactly what you’re changing.”
“If that’s what you prefer, you better be present throughout the next few hours. No more breaks.”
The android pointed toward the array of black panels on top of his large contraption. “To boost Quaker’s power generation, I’m going to replace your inefficient solar collectors with a Halo Receiver. Fortunately, with a few enhancements, your onboard computer is adequate for reconstructing the transportable power packets into a super-charged Halo Blaster, which I’ll be adding shortly.”
Zo waved his arms. “Whoa. I hardly understood anything you just said.”
“Hang on to your leather britches, Mr. Skalag Ruler. You asked me to explain what I’m doing, and now your complaining. You, humans, can be so frustrating. I’ll scale my feedback to the rudimentary level so even you can understand.”
The New World: Crimson Winter Page 15