"You are fortunate your daggit found our hunting party. You were on Deathpoint Plateau. Nothing survives there for long."
Well, he speaks our lingo, even down to such slang as deathpoint. It seems I was just talking about deathpoint to someone. But who? I can't remember. It's like my mind froze along with my body.
"We're grateful," Apollo says, moving forward, assuming his right of command in his usual smug way. "Who are you?"
"Simple hunters," the noble type answers.
"Then," Apollo says, glancing around the cave, "I assume you'll return our packs. And weapons. And that we are free to go."
That's it, Apollo. What a master strategist you are. Get to the point. Don't bother feeling out the intentions of the guys who rescue you, just start making demands. I consider pushing Apollo out of the way, taking over, employing a little smooth con on this fur-clad hunk, find out what's up.
"Go?" the hunter says. "Where would you go? The storm continues. The di-ethene has left you dehydrated. I will see that you receive liquids. Then, we can talk of your going."
With a regal turn, he leaves the cave through the nearest dark opening. Slowly, like wild animals circling a fire, the rest of the expeditionary team, except for the incapacitated wounded trio, comes to the stove. Starbuck is still looking back over his shoulder at the place where the hunter made his exit.
"I don't like the way he said that," Starbuck mutters.
Apollo, glancing around the cave interior, suspicion in his voice, says:
"Something's odd about this setup. Humans surviving on a Cylon outpost? I don't know anything about humans in this sector at all. Doesn't make sense."
"Something else doesn't make sense," I say. Both Starbuck and Apollo gawk at me. "They're not just hunters. Too heavily armed."
"And have you noticed the walls?" Boomer says. "They're studded with wreckage. Over there, that's Cylon armor."
Starbuck stares where Boomer points.
"With scorch marks from combat lasers," he says.
"I say we jump him and get outta here," Wolfe says.
Good old Wolfe, always right there with the sensible solution.
"I agree," Leda adds.
What's in her head?
"Wait a moment," Apollo says. "If it's the Cylons they fight, and those're mostly Cylon souvenirs all over those walls, then maybe they're on our side. We might be able to use their help."
"I'm thirsty," the kid says, and his lousy mechanical pet growls. We all turn toward the kid.
Behind Boxey, coming through an entirely different entranceway, the noble leader seems to have returned. He picks up a fur-covered pack, then stares over at us. Starbuck whispers:
"How'd he get behind us?"
Apollo approaches the hunter, puts on his best friendly voice: "The water? Could we—
"Silence," the hunter barks.
Starbuck rushes forward.
"Look," he says, "the boy and the wounded need water. You said—"
"I said, silence."
Apollo stares at the man, then remarks:
"Something's wrong."
Boomer, moving to Apollo's side, says softly:
"The hair on the back of my neck is starting to crawl, guys."
"Here is the liquid I promised, and some food," says the voice of the noble leader. But it's not the noble leader we're all looking at. We whirl around as one. The voice had come from the opening through which our hunter had originally exited. Now he's there again, holding packets of food and animal skins filled with water. Two other hunters are coming through' two different cave openings.
"What the—" Boomer says.
"Didn't we just talk to that guy?" Starbuck says.
The two new hunters are exact duplicates of the guy carrying the rations. Apollo and I turn around again. The one at the far wall looks like the other three! They are all blond, blue-eyed, heroic-looking types. Apollo, stunned, whispers:
"They're clones!"
"Actually, we prefer the name Theta Class life forms," says a voice whose sultry softness in no way resembles the voices of the quartet of blond hunters. Through still another entranceway, one concealed by piles of fur, a woman has entered the cave chamber. And she is some impressive vision of a woman! Her lovely face slightly resembles the faces of the cloned men—at least she has the blue eyes and blond hair, but she looks more like a goddess than a huntress. Her snow parka and leather leggings, together with her arsenal of weapons (including a laser rifle slung over her shoulder), do not in any way conceal the superbly formed body underneath all that junk she's wearing. Starbuck stares at her as if one of his dreams has suddenly materialized.
"This mission is looking up!" he says to Boomer. The first hunter who addressed us introduces himself as Ser 5-9, and the woman as Tenna 1. The others have similar names. Ser 5-9 distributes the food and water. We all fall on the stuff like a pack of ravaging monsters of prey. Ser 5-9 and Tenna take seats on a slightly raised platform and watch with interest our eager devouring of the rations. Ser 5-9 asks how we come to be on their planet. Apollo, before I can suggest to him that he use a little caution, gives them a quick briefing on our mission. He's apparently bought their act lock, stock, and barrel. I wish I could be so sure. Interrupting Apollo's statements, Ser 5-9 says:
"You came to destroy the Ravashol pulsaric-laser communication wave unit?"
"Ravashol?" Apollo asks. "Dr. Ravashol," Tenna says. "He is human." Starbuck, irritated, glances toward Tenna and says: "Human, you said? A human created that monster up --there for the use of Cylons?"
Tenna, though clearly on the defensive, shoots back: "If it were not for Ravashol, we would not exist."
"He is the father-creator," Ser 5-9 says reverently. The kid, who's been taking all this in, pulls at Apollo's sleeve and asks:
"Is Ravashol God? I'd like to meet him." Somehow Apollo's face manages to cross a half-smile with a whole frown.
"No, son," he says. "He's not God. Not if he's with the Cylons." He turns back to Ser 5-9. "Why does he work for the Cylons?"
None of the reverence leaves Ser 5-9's voice as he says: "They let him live to experiment. To create."
"To create weapons that destroy other humans!" Starbuck says sardonically.
Tenna, addressing herself mainly to Starbuck, voices a warning:
"I would be careful what I said about the father-creator."
Ser 5-9 seems to come down from the clouds as he addresses Apollo: "The pulsaric laser cannot be destroyed. The emplacement is guarded by Cylons. Still more Cylon soldiers are stationed in the garrison at the foothills to Mount Hekla. Even if you could get past them, the weapon itself is constructed of magna—practically indestructible."
"We have solenite," I interject quietly, then watch them for the reaction. They react as I expect, with a moment's silence to assimilate the information. When Ser 5-9 speaks again, it is with the same awe with which he speaks of Ravashol:
"Solenite. Ravashol explained solenite once."
It's always useful to use technical words when you're dealing with what appear to be primitive tribes. Well, the word "solenite" can give me a couple of shudders. I've used it before and I've found I can never feel quite calm about it. The name derives from the use of solenoid, the magnetic coiled wire that, when activated as the major part of the explosive's ignition system, clings to almost anything. Including magna. Easier to place around the objective than normal explosives requiring bore holes or the attachment of high-resistance wires by embedding them in plastic substances or through soldering, solenite need only be secured to the magna surfaces of the cannon and then connected to the equally magnetic base-charge materials at strategic points. (So long as you know where the strategic points are—which, come to think of it, we don't about this damn cannon.) Because of its high degree of water resistance, it is safe to carry solenite up the ice mountain, especially since its combination of chemical and plastic explosive substances is stable to lower temperatures than even humans can stand. Further, s
olenite has the most efficient pressure effect of any explosive I've ever used. Its density is such that its velocity of detonation is phenomenal. A good explosive's got to have shattering power; solenite's got that and then some. It blasts in all directions like an exploding star. That's why it's the safest and most dangerous explosive of all. Safe, because it's so transportable. Dangerous, because if you don't get out of its range pretty quick, you've had it. I can understand Ser 5-9's awe, because it's the natural reaction of anyone who's heard of solenite.
Ser 5-9 confers with Tenna for a moment. From his gestures I can tell he's informing her that our possession of solenite immeasurably increases our chances to get the weapon. When they regally turn their attention back to us, Ser 5-9 says:
"You can leave the injured members of your party here. They will be tended to. We will guide the rest of you to the village."
"And then?" Apollo asks
"You will see when we get there," Tenna says.
Apollo chews on this for a moment, then nods in agreement. The clones begin to assemble equipment for the trip.
Apollo, crouching by the injured threesome, says to Haals:
"I want you to stay here with Vickers and Voight."
Haals's eyes look like they're not quite functioning. I suspect that the dose of electricity he got on the snow ram still has some residual effects. He apparently doesn't think so, for he rises in protest and informs Apollo:
"Captain, I'm fine."
Apollo, rather than disputing the gunnery sergeant's bravado, gives him a tranquilizer of smooth talk:
"I know. I want someone here who can defend himself. Just in case. We'll be back for you."
Haals smiles.
"Right, skipper."
After Apollo and I check out the equipment, we join the clones and the rest of the party at an opening to the cave chamber. Starbuck is engaged in small talk with Tenna. Of course.
"I was hoping I'd have time to thaw out before we go out there again," he says.
"We'll find a living compartment in the village," she responds. "I can warm you up there."
"I'll bet you can."
Double that bet, Starbuck. Wish I could have some of the action myself.
Apollo asks if everybody's ready. We all nod and head out of the chamber. Ahead of us is a tunnel. From the blast of harsh wind and the flurries—like thin, streaky clouds—of snow, it's a good guess that it's a short trip to the outside. Muffit bounds ahead of us with his usual eagerness. I hang back, ready to take the point-man position outdoors, when I notice that Wolfe is deliberately hanging back with me.
"When do we break?" he whispers suddenly.
An interesting sign. He's still trusting enough to talk to me.
"Don't push it, Wolfe."
He glances around, making sure everybody else is ahead of us. From out of his jacket he takes a laser pistol. Must be the one he stole off Voight. Better I play dumb about it. I'll have to control him if he goes berserk.
"Just want you to know I'm ready," he whispers.
"Where'd you get that?"
"It doesn't matter where. I can use it on the Cylons. Or anyone else who gets in our way."
I can't argue with him. So long as he's got the gun, he's dangerous. I glance down at the weapon, gesture for him to put it away for the time being. He slips it inside his jacket and strides bullishly ahead to the others.
Outside, both the winds and snowfalls have subsided. No di-ethene clouds in sight anywhere. But the cold remains. My God, does the cold remain.
We proceed across the ice field very slowly. Packs weigh us down, our own weariness doubles the weight of the packs. Our walking boots, the best the Gaiactica quartermaster has been able to come up with, don't grip as well as I'd like. The scree caps at the heels don't provide the proper friction. Ah, well, just one small problem among many.
Apollo gestures me forward. He and Ser 5-9 are conferring. Ser 5-9 says to me:
"This is the edge of the ice field. We'll have to follow the ravines from here."
I agree, happy that the clone shows the kind of smarts I can trust. His people obviously know their way around mountains and ice fields. They may prove useful as guides.
We traverse the icy ravines, a tricky task. The three warriors from the Gaiactica have trouble maintaining their balance. I have to laugh a couple of times at their intricate slipping and sliding maneuvers. Ser 5-9 signals a stop, then explains:
"We are close to the village."
There is a wave of relief among our party. We're all cold, colder than Thane's eyes. Last time I felt this chilled was back on Kalpa, when we had to go in hand-to-hand combat across a series of snow bridges against a Cylon attacking force.
"The entry hatch is at the end of this ravine," Ser 5-9 says. "Wait here."
Edging his body away from the side of the ravine, Ser 5-9 descends a little ways, with Tenna following him. As I watch them go down, I feel a chill of suspicion go through my body. In spite of the irrational nature of that feeling, I have to ask Apollo:
"Think they're turning us in?"
Apollo clearly doesn't like that idea one bit.
"No," he says brusquely. "I don't know why I feel that way—but no."
"Well, you got all the command insights, Captain."
He gives me his harshest stare, as we start to follow Ser 5-9 and Tenna down the rather steep slope. Starbuck comes immediately behind us, then the ever-reliable Boomer. God, Boomer's hardly said a word since we settled down on this godforsaken planet, but I know I want him by my side if we get into any trouble.
Ahead of us, both Ser 5-9 and Tenna stop abruptly, crouch behind a large rock. They talk together, then Tenna comes climbing up back toward us. Starbuck passes Apollo and me, and welcomes her:
"I knew you missed me, but..."
Some things never seem to leave Starbuck's mind.
"Cylon patrol!" Tenna whispers, then points upward toward the rim of the ravine. "Pass the word."
We all quickly find hiding places. Along the top of the ravine, the Cylon patrol can be glimpsed at intervals, metallic shadows that almost blend in with the ice of the surface, the only interrupting color being those blasted red lights on their helmets, sliding so sinisterly from side to side. Fortunately, no red light seems directed downward where we all crouch. Just as they are about out of sight, the dumb daggit-droid begins to growl, and the kid whispers:
"Sssshh... good daggit."
The droid shuts up. A Cylon seems to glance downward, but apparently sees nothing. Good daggit. When we've seen no Cylon for a- while and are about to become permanently ensconced ice statues honoring caution, Ser 5-9 laboriously works his way back up to us and says:
"The way is clear now."
I glance toward him. His eyes are bright, concerned. All my doubts about him melt away.
"So you're not turning us in to the Cylons," I say.
"No," Tenna mutters angrily. "We hate the Cylons."
Ser 5-9 crawls closer to me. His staring wrath-filled eyes alone could destroy me at this moment, I suspect.
"Pardon me," I say, "I'm not the most... not the most trusting person in the universe."
"We are Theta Class life forms," Ser 5-9 says. "Considered by the Cylons to be... to be subhuman."
The bitterness in his voice convinces me of his hatred for the Cylons.
"We were created for slave labor," Tenna adds. "Most of our brothers and sisters are still slaves in the village."
"But you revolted," Apollo says.
Both Tenna and Ser 5-9 appear to be embarrassed by the implication of Apollo's statement.
"No," Ser 5-9 says, "I'm afraid we did not. Evidently we are not perfect."
Apollo's smile contains a great deal of sadness.
"No," he says. "Just human."
Ser 5-9 and Tenna appear pleased by Apollo's understanding. They smile broadly.
"Then," Apollo continues, "as humans you'll help us destroy that pulsar cannon."
Both smile
s fade quickly from the clones' faces.
"First we must get into the village," Ser 5-9 says. "Come."
Moving with a speed we haven't been able to summon since the launch of the shuttle from the pod decks of the Galactica, we make our way down to the village entry hatch. Using a chipping tool, Ser 5-9 punches ice away from the hatch. Forcing the valve wheels, he pulls the hatch open. As it raises, there is the hissing sound of released pressure. Ser 5-9 takes us each by the arm and helps us down into the corridor below. Tenna takes over command of the expedition and hurries us along the subterranean tunnel corridor. Although the passageway glitters with frost, it seems much warmer than the outer surface of the planet. I am glad to be here.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
After angrily receiving the report of his scouts that the Cylon patrol ship assigned to kill the human intruders had been itself shot down, First Centurion Vulpa sent out foot patrols, with orders to hunt down the humans and destroy them.
On one of the planets of the Cylon Alliance, there was a kind of insect—small, gray-bodied creatures with eight wirelike long legs and antennae that never ceased activity. They were not poisonous nor did they bite nor were they in any way destructive to the planet's ecological systems. Their only drawback was that they were irresistibly attracted to the shininess of the metal in Cylon uniforms. All Cylons stationed on that planet, as Vulpa had been for a long time, came to hate these insects, because they were ingenious in finding ways to penetrate the Cylon covering and implant themselves upon Cylon skin, sometimes even shorting out a wire or two embedded in the middle layer of the uniform. Once on Cylon skin they became that terrible annoyance, an itch that could not be scratched. If several of them penetrated the uniform, even a normally unemotional Cylon could be driven mad. This expeditionary team of humans, Vulpa thought, seemed composed of that revolting kind of insect. They were making him itch considerably, and he wanted them exterminated immediately, so that he could transfer his attention away from this minor futile mission and back to the major goal of eliminating the Galactica and its fleet.
"We found the wreckage of the humans' shuttle," a foot-patrol leader reported in. "The rest escaped in a snow ram. We found the vehicle, broken down and abandoned on the plateau."
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