Banshee Screams

by Clay Griffith

  A group of warriors hastily fanned out beyond the Stallion. They crouched behind rocks and brush with weapons at the ready. They frantically searched the empty desert for signs of the enemy.

  "What happened?" Debbi asked Fareel.

  The anouk glared at the Ranger and stayed quiet.

  A shot ricocheted off the Stallion.

  Debbi threw herself on Martool who stood at the nose of the vehicle. They crashed to the ground. Debbi rolled the anouk woman to the canyon side of the Stallion.

  "Stay here," Debbi commanded and climbed up into the Stallion. More shots pinged off the vehicle's shell. She grabbed a pair of binoculars and stood up in the doorway to see over the top of the cab to scan the distance.

  She saw a glint of sun on metal approximately two hundred yards out in the jagged wasteland. The four anouk warriors who had modern weapons tried to return fire, holding their rifles up and pulling the triggers. It was useless though. Whoever was out there had the high ground. The Stallion and the surrounding anouks were situated in a low, open patch with minimal cover.

  She stooped below the roof of the Stallion and said to Martool, "I can't see how many. But your people are sitting ducks out here. We've got to get inside."

  Debbi heard another anouk scream. She stood up again and saw an anouk warrior leap to his feet, shouting at the top of his lungs. He aimed his rifle at one of his companions and opened fire, virtually cutting the surprised warrior in half. His fellow warriors stared in shock. Then he swung around to shoot another. Debbi reached for her sidearm, but her hand slapped against her empty thigh.

  Fareel was on his feet. His atax glowed with mystical energy. He flung the weapon and it spun in the sunlight. Before the screaming warrior could shoot a second anouk, the atax sliced his throat. He dropped to the ground.

  Fareel turned and looked up at Debbi with an expression of rage and blame even as he caught the returning atax.

  She aimed the binoculars out again. This time she saw a figure moving among the rocks. It wore ragged clothes and its skin was a discolored greenish gray. She saw several more figures scrambling across the harsh landscape. They moved a little closer to the Stallion before settling behind a tannis outcrop.

  Legionnaires, Debbi thought with a start. What are they doing here? The Legion was last reported to be south of Temptation beyond Ghost Rock City.

  The Ranger dropped down beside Martool.

  "Sykers," Debbi said. "We've got to get Hallow inside."

  Martool stared at her. "Sykers? Like him?" It was an accusation, made by someone who didn't want to believe it.

  Debbi said, "No! Not like him. I don't have time to explain. They're moving in. We are nothing but targets out here. For all our sakes, we have to withdraw!"

  Fareel came around the Stallion, murderous eyes locked on Debbi. He surged at her.

  At the last second, Martool raised her arm and stopped him. He pulled up abruptly. His face was full of outrage. Martool pointed into the Stallion and barked an order.

  The fierce warrior shouted at the shaman, his suspicion plain. Martool merely repeated the order. Fareel cursed and hooked his atax on his belt. He climbed into the Stallion and roughly lifted Hallow off the stretcher.

  "Be gentle!" Debbi shouted. "He'll kill him like that!"

  Martool spoke harshly to Fareel. He iced her with a glance, but backed out of the Stallion with Hallow cradled in his arms. He started for the canyon path at a trot.

  Debbi climbed into the Stallion and pulled the single Hellrazor automatic assault rifle off its rack behind the seats along with the bag of extra ammo clips and grenades. She stood up in the door and braced the Hellrazor on the roof of the Stallion. Sahrin was shouting orders to his warriors, directing them back toward the path. As they scrambled in retreat, bullets whizzed through the air and puffs of dust rose from the ground accompanied by the distant cracks of rifle fire. Suddenly a bolt of energy flashed in from the desert and caught one of the anouks square in the back. He lit up briefly and fell to the ground with most of his body blackened.

  Debbi opened up with the pulse rifle in the general direction of the blast. The big gun bucked in her arms, spitting three-inch shell casings out the side. She had no targets in sight; she was just trying to provide cover. She fired a few needles from the black gun attached to the Hellrazor, but the slivers of black were impossible to follow with the naked eye so she had no idea of their effectiveness.

  The remaining anouk warriors filed down the path, carrying their dead and wounded. After they were all out of sight, Sahrin stopped and shouted back in alarm.

  Debbi glanced over her shoulder and saw Martool walking out into the open.

  "Get back!" Debbi shouted at Martool. "I'll cover you! Get back!"

  Spurts of dust kicked up around Martool's feet as distant Legionnaires took pot shots at her. Martool knelt slowly and placed both hands flat on the ground.

  Debbi squeezed the trigger, trying to will her shells to find their well-hidden targets. Where was Sahrin? Why wasn't he pulling Martool out of harm's way?

  The Ranger wasn't sure what she saw next. It looked like a heat shimmer on sun- baked earth. It spread from Martool out into the desert, distorting the view of the ground.

  One hundred and fifty yards away, several low jagged peaks of black tannis blurred and cracked suddenly. They fell apart as if from an earthquake and tumbled down. The Legionnaires' gunfire ceased.

  Debbi dropped off the Stallion and ran to Martool. She grabbed the shaman by the arm. Martool was shaking and barely able to stand. Sahrin was there too. He lifted Martool and helped her to the path.

  Debbi ducked back into the Stallion and searched the various compartments. She grabbed the first aid kit and took maps and documents, any sort of manuals on operation of the vehicle and several on official Colonial Ranger procedures that she'd never even seen before. She popped out several fuses and circuit boards to disable the ship and keep its cannons out of enemy hands. She dumped everything into a canvas bag and crawled out dragging it. She locked the doors, which seemed an empty gesture at best, and hustled after Sahrin and Martool.

  Martool stood over Hallow. The syker lay prone and naked on a tannis outcropping in the center of Martool's meditation chamber. The outcropping had not been there less than an hour ago, but it rose out of the floor as if carved from the living rock. Debbi stood in the corner of the chamber intently watching Martool. Sahrin and Fareel stood in the doorway, alternately keeping an eye on Martool and peering out into the corridor. Over the course of the time that Martool worked on Hallow, messengers came to the door several times and whispered fervent words to the two warriors.

  Martool held her hands over Hallow's chest close to the surface of his skin. Her muscles were tense. She held that pose for what seemed hours. Then suddenly she released her hands and stepped to another part of the syker's body where she replicated the lengthy period of exertion.

  The process was fascinating for Debbi to watch; there were no lights flashing, no energy fizzing from Martool's eyes. But still, it was amazing and invigorating. Martool showed an inspiring level of concentration that Debbi had rarely seen before.

  After Martool had repeated the process over four sections of Hallow's body, she dropped her lifeless arms to her side. The shaman turned and leaned heavily against the tannis table. She was covered in perspiration.

  Sahrin asked her a question from the door and Martool motioned that she was fine.

  Debbi crossed the room and looked down at Hallow. The large pustules that marred his skin began to break and ooze. Debbi glanced at Martool questioningly.

  Martool said, "I have removed the needles." She slid a long nailed finger across the top of the slick black outcropping on which Hallow rested and came up with a black needle between her fingertips.

  "So he'll be all right?" Debbi asked.

  "No. He is still near death. I must do more. But you cannot be here. It would be dangerous for you."

  "Do you think you can save
him?"

  "Go." Martool tiredly turned back to Hallow.

  Debbi stepped away and joined Sahrin and Fareel at the door. When they entered the hallway, the door flowed closed as if the rock turned liquid and filled the hole before rehardening. Fareel snarled and moved off down the hall.

  Sahrin said quietly beside her, "Martool help."

  Debbi looked at the anouk with surprise. "You speak my language?"

  "Little. Martool teach me."

  She nodded at the distant Fareel. "What about him?"

  Sahrin laughed out loud. "No. Not Fareel."

  Debbi said, "I want you to know I had nothing to do with the attack up there." She shook her head vigorously, wondering if the gesture even meant anything to the anouk. "Do you understand? I respect Martool. I would never hurt her."

  "Yes. I understand." He tapped the dented badge again and smiled. "Dallas."

  Debbi and Sahrin spent a long period sharing language. They exchanged English and anouk words for various articles of clothing and body parts. Fareel stood glaring in the shadows, never moving a muscle. Messengers now came to him alone. He listened to their reports without response.

  Finally, the door opened and Martool appeared. She looked drained and had to lean on the wall for support. Debbi couldn't read the emotion in the shaman's face.

  Martool said, "I believe he will live."

  Debbi felt the heavy steel grip that had clamped on her chest in Doc Dazy's office yesterday, or was it the day before, finally release. She exhaled and bent over, covering her face. She looked up.

  "Thank you," she told Martool. "I don't know how to thank you."

  The anouk woman responded, "I must do more before I am sure. But I must rest and eat first."

  Martool called out to Fareel. He made a brief and brusque report.

  The shaman asked Debbi, "Do you know the sykers who attacked us?"

  "Yes. They're from a new Syker Legion." Debbi paused. "They appeared a month ago. They're actually the reanimated dead sykers who were killed in the wars. That may seem hard to believe but . . ."

  Martool interrupted, seemingly unfazed by the peculiar origins of the Legion. "Will you tell me more about them?"

  "Of course. I don't know much, but whatever information I have is yours."

  "Good. Come with me. I have a council waiting."

  Debbi followed the unsteady Martool down the corridor. Fareel and Sahrin fell into step and exchanged sharp whispers behind her.

  "Martool, shouldn't you rest?" Debbi asked. "Can't the council wait?"

  "It's a war council. There are many hundreds of these dead sykers approaching from the south." Martool looked down at Debbi with weary fortitude. "We will soon be under siege."

  Chapter 16

  The War Council was gathered in a massive rock chamber. They all stared at Debbi intensely as she entered, but a few words from Martool brought the glares under control. The Ranger stood against the wall again with Sahrin and Fareel as Martool joined a group of seven other anouk, five male and two female. Except for Martool, they were all clad in unusually festive outfits festooned with patterned skins and feathered headdresses. They all carried elaborately carved staffs of tannis. Martool's clothes were as simple as any average tribesman. The rest of the council members bowed to her. They had the same atmosphere of reverence, but not the blind obedience that Sahrin and Fareel showed to Martool.

  Events moved quickly and furiously. Debbi had no hope of following them. Council members talked over one another. Voices rose and tempers flared. Martool remained relatively cool amidst it all.

  Martool issued an order that silenced them. The council turned their backs to Debbi and faced the far wall. They all raised their hands. They began to chant in a low tone. The sound resonated through the tannis walls and floor. Debbi could feel it vibrating up her legs. It reminded her of the vibratory chanting of the Gray Ones in the tannis cathedral in Temptation.

  Then the far wall began to melt.

  The rock turned liquid and flowed down into the floor where it seemed to disappear. Strange, jagged shapes were left behind as the rock melted away. All the way up the twenty-foot wall odd rocky angles and crevices, as well as smooth surfaces with small openings were revealed as the black quicksilver ran down over them.

  Then Debbi realized what she was seeing. The council was somehow carving the wall of the chamber into a large, scale model of the canyon wall. The representation of the canyon showed it to be very rugged with hundreds of crevices and ravines running through it. Set against this natural ferocity of the landscape was a sprawling, multi-leveled complex of buildings and towers and courtyards, all protected by an intricate network of walls. This was a section of the canyon Debbi had not seen, but the walled city resembled pictures and vids she had seen of Castle Rock before EXFOR destroyed it.

  The top of the complex was set deep into the canyon wall with several hundred yards of sheer rock face between its highest point and the canyon rim, which would help protect it from the elements as well as attack from above. The city sprawled down along the steeply sloping canyon wall, seeming to cling tenaciously to it, but actually most of it was carved right out of black tannis outcropping in the canyon. Large sections of the city appeared to be in ruins. Crumbled buildings and collapsed walls created great slides of detritus that stretched down the face of the canyon. The walls that were intact had a number of gates leading to paths and roads that wound up and down the canyon.

  Soon the entire wall of the council chamber was a gigantic and amazingly detailed representation of Castle Rock and the surrounding canyon wall. The council members lowered their arms and began to speak while consulting points on the model.

  Then a warrior entered the chamber. His tunic and breechcloth were torn. Blood dripped from a wound on his arm, which he purposefully ignored. He made a fervent report to the council. For nearly an hour, he gave dramatic testimony during which he referred to places on the model.

  At one point, Martool turned to Debbi and asked, "How do you kill these things?"

  Debbi was startled by the attention. She saw all the eyes of the council members and the exhausted face of the bloody warrior staring at her.

  "You have to destroy their brains," she answered and Martool translated. The council members nodded, appearing very excited. "Hold on. It's not quite that simple. The Legionnaires are very resistant to damage. Even if you shoot them in the head, they can keep coming unless you use the black guns first to disrupt their syker abilities."

  Martool stopped speaking. The council members were confused, obviously unfamiliar with the black guns.

  Debbi held up the Hellrazor and asked Martool, "Are they attacking now? Let me go out with your people. I'll show them how to use it." She pointed at Sahrin who still carried her gun belt. "There's another one on my Dragoon. I wish I had more. But short of causing them catastrophic damage, it's the only way to put them down for good."

  Martool said a quick word to the bloodied warrior and he departed. Both Sahrin and Fareel watched him, obviously longing to go.

  Debbi began, "Martool, you've got to . . ."

  Martool held up her hand to silence the Ranger. Then she began to issue orders to the council members, pointing at various spots on the canyon model as she did. After each order, a member of the council would depart.

  Finally, only Martool remained with her two retainers and Debbi.

  Martool continued studying the stone model. "The Legionnaires who attacked us were apparently scouts probing one of the minor paths into the canyon. The main force of the Legion is moving on three lines of advance. Their largest force is at the rim blocking the main road. I suspect they want to prevent us from escaping, should we choose, or to intercept reinforcements. They surprised our sentries and were halfway to the upper gate. We have pushed them back, but casualties were heavy." She turned to Debbi. "We may soon have to pull back and concede the road. That will put them at our gates. But our warriors' sacrifice won't be in vain. It has given us time
to consolidate our defenses elsewhere."

  "What about the other two columns?" Debbi asked. "Can you hold them?"

  Martool said, "Those columns appear to be positioning themselves for a siege rather than trying the walls. One force is threatening one of our major water sources."

  Debbi responded, "That's smart. They're dead. They can wait for years. Let me out there with the black guns. Or if you're worried about your people's reaction to me, I can show your soldiers how to use them."

  "No."

  Debbi wrinkled her brow in confusion. "What? Why not?"

  "I won't allow my people to use the polluted tannis as a weapon."

  "That doesn't make sense. It's the only . . ."

  "I said no!" Martool yelled.

  Debbi took a step back in shock. She'd never heard Martool raise her voice. The ferocity of it was frightening.

  Sahrin and Fareel both jumped from their positions against the wall and came up next to Debbi, ready to strike her if Martool commanded. Debbi felt the powerful presences of the two warriors crowding her. She regarded Sahrin and found his face as rigid as Fareel's, his black eyes completely unreadable. There would be no quarter from either of them. It made her realize suddenly how far she was from home. Martool's common decency was a fragile shield. Debbi was the enemy here as much as the Legionnaires beyond the walls. She would be dead instantly and without question if Martool only nodded.

  However, Martool immediately regained her composure. "I will not do anything just to survive. That is the difference between anouk and human."

  A loud ringing sounded through the chamber. Debbi heard it in her ears, but also felt it through the soles of her boots. Sahrin and Fareel looked at each other in alarm.

  Martool turned and studied the canyon model. "The sun gate. I've made a mistake. The third group of Legionnaires is not setting up for a siege. They are attacking." She turned to her two retainers. "Go."

  Debbi stepped forward. "Let me go too!"