Wizard Cadet (Intergalactic Wizard Scout Chronicles Book 2)

by Rodney Hartman

  Power reserve is ninety percent; eighty percent; seventy percent…

  Richard broke through the surface. He saw the Power reading on his heads-up display go to sixty-five percent.

  Piss, Richard cursed to himself. That used a lot of Power.

  He dropped his dimensional shift and took off running in the direction of the two pups. Richard thanked his lucky stars he was already armed. Since the attack by Sheeta, he’d taken to carrying his M63 at all times.

  He eyed the two green dots marking the location of the pups.

  The darn fools were probably playing tag, Richard thought.

  As he ran forward, a female dolgar and four of her young pups ran past him headed in the opposite direction. He recognized their frequencies. A couple of the young ones had played with Sheba’s pups on several occasions. The adult female growled warningly at Richard as they passed, but she did not snap at him. Richard ignored her and kept running.

  Two brownish shapes appeared from around a nearby boulder. The two creatures reminded Richard of large cats with brown scales instead of fur. They were smaller than Sheba, but they were still about the size of an adult lion back on Earth. The cats had wicked looking claws and a mouthful of teeth.

  The two cats were materialized, so Richard aimed his M63 and held down the trigger. A stream of plasma rounds tore into one of the cats. It was cut nearly in half. Richard moved the stream of plasma to the dead cat’s companion. Before the rounds hit, Richard saw the cat shimmer. The plasma rounds passed through it without doing any damage. The cat dove downward and disappeared into the ground.

  Drat it, Richard said.

  Richard traced the cat’s path with a hasty active scan. He looked for a link to its Power reserve. There was none. It dawned on him the cat was generating its own Power just like the dolgars.

  Tracking the cat creature with his scan, Richard noticed it moving underneath him as it headed upwards. When the cat’s head broke the surface, Richard was ready. Just before the cat clamped its teeth onto his foot, Richard jumped to the side and activated his phase rod in destructive mode. He swung. The rod’s subatomic explosions shattered the cat’s head. The cat’s body materialized. Richard left the body embedded half in and half out of the ground. He continued running.

  The group of forty yellow dots trying to intercept the pups was straight ahead. Richard saw the two green dots denoting the pups. They were fifty meters on the other side of the mass of yellow dots. Another six yellow dots were in hot pursuit of the two green dots. Richard got the impression the pups were desperately shifting in and out of the void in a futile attempt to escape their pursuers.

  Suggestions? Richard said.

  Feline lifeforms appeared to be using sonic vibrations for navigation when in the ground, said his battle computer. A sonic-field generator might blind any feline lifeforms when they are in areas where they cannot see visually. If my analysis is correct, they would be defenseless underground when in the effect range of a sonic-field generator.

  What about the pups? Richard said.

  Previous observations indicate the dolgars navigate by radiation, said the battle computer. Interfering with the cats’ sonic senses should not affect the dolgar pups.

  Richard summoned a small, sonic-field generator and pulled it out of his pack. As he approached the group of forty cats, a score of them dove into the ground. The remaining cats stayed on the surface and remained materialized as they ran in his direction. Richard hit the generator’s activation switch and threw it into the group of cats on the surface. The generator did not appear to affect the cats above ground. However, underground was a different story. Richard sensed chaos in those cats unfortunate enough to be caught below ground level. Those yellow dots below ground on his heads-up display began moving in all directions. Several bumped into each other. Four of the yellow dots below ground winked out.

  Richard fired his M63 at the group of cats above ground. Blood and bone burst out the backs of two of the cats. Richard sensed the remaining surface cats wrap themselves in Power and shift into the void. Unfortunately, they remained on the surface where they could still see. With their sonic sight disrupted, Richard assumed they were limited to visual sight only as long as they were within the effect range of the sonic-field generator. He hoped that would work to his advantage.

  Wizard scout, said the battle computer. My calculations indicate the feline lifeforms require a large amount of Power to maintain their dimensional shifts. Probability is they can only hold their shifts for thirty seconds to one minute before needing to rematerialize and recharge.

  Richard heard, but at the moment he was too busy to answer. He swung his phase rod and caught a cat in the chest. Spinning on his heels, Richard avoided the sweep of another cat’s claws. He hit the cat on the back of the neck. Both cats went down and did not move again.

  There are too many cats, Richard said.

  He knew he’d never be able to avoid them all above ground where the cats could still see. Wrapping himself in Power, Richard shifted into the void and moved downward using telekinesis. Four of the surface cats followed him. As soon as they were underground, the cats began acting erratically.

  Blind, Richard said. You just made your last mistake.

  He swung his phase rod four times and put the cats out of their misery.

  Power is thirty-five percent; twenty-five percent…, said his battle computer.

  Richard levitated back to the surface and immediately dropped his dimensional shift. His heart sank when his battle computer announced that only fifteen percent Power remained in his reserve.

  That maneuver sucked, Richard thought. I don’t have enough Power to try that trick again.

  His maneuver had paid off in one respect. He was now behind the surface cats. Richard hit two with his phase rod and broke their backs before the others were aware of his presence.

  Estimate the effective range of the sonic-field generator, Richard said.

  Effective range is estimated at one hundred and two meters plus or minus ten meters, said the battle computer.

  Five of the cats turned and charged in Richard’s direction.

  Battle computer, Richard said, the moment any of those cats drop their dimensional shifts, I want you to identify them with flashing yellow dots.

  Compliance, wizard scout, said the battle computer.

  With his M63 useless until the cats dropped their dimensional shifts, Richard concentrated on staying out of the cat’s way. He did not even consider activating his battle suit’s override to allow his battle computer to help him. He didn’t trust his current battle computer. It wasn’t Nickelo. Richard knew his survival depended entirely on his own fighting skills now.

  The first of the five cats missed a swipe with its front claws as Richard sidestepped to the left. He jumped over another cat as it tried to bite his left leg. Richard brought his phase rod down on the back of the cat as it passed below him. He heard a satisfying snap of its spine. He dodged the third cat as well, but the fourth caught him around the waist with its claws and bit into his left thigh. As the cat tried to drag him down into the ground, Richard felt it begin to suck life force out of his wound. The bite and the removal of his life force hurt. However, the fear of being buried underground motivated Richard enough to overcome his pain and fight back.

  Wrapping himself in Power, Richard pulled upward with his telekinesis. In spite of the cat’s attempt to drag him down, Richard remained above ground. He started to swing his phase rod at the cat’s head, but before the rod made contact, another cat grabbed his left arm in its teeth. Struggling against the combined force of two cats, it was all Richard could do to maintain his position above ground with his telekinesis. He tried to move his phase rod enough to touch one of the cats, but to no avail. The cats were cooperating with each other in order to keep him immobile.

  Power reserve is at nine percent, wizard scout, said the battle computer. Recommend you conserve Power.

  Richard wanted to tell his
battle computer what he could do with his advice, but he didn’t have the time or strength to comment. Although Richard didn’t have weight in the void, his telekinesis was pulling against the combined force of the two cats as they attempted to drag him underground. From the readings on his heads-up display, Richard could tell he was using Power even faster than if he was levitating his own weight.

  Think, Richard said. Think. You’ve got to come up with a plan. What would Nick suggest?

  Richard noticed two more cats heading towards him. He also noticed some of the cats who had been underground were now returning to the surface. Not all of them were returning, but some were. His passive scan picked up several cats still beneath the surface that were still blindly moving around. It didn’t take a starship scientist to tell the sonic-field generator was still doing its job.

  As the two additional cats rushed towards him, Richard noticed a couple of yellow dots farther away begin to flash on his screen, then a couple more. Suddenly, Richard sensed the cat holding his left arm drop its dimensional shift as it ran out of Power. The now materialized cat started shaking its head violently from left to right as if trying to keep Richard off balance. The cat biting into his thigh was still in the void.

  Richard released his grip on the M63. The two cats holding him were too close to get a shot with his rifle anyway. Richard wrapped his boot knife with Power. He levitated the knife up into his right hand and grabbed it. Quick as a flash, Richard jammed the point of the deadly knife into the right eye of the materialized cat holding his left arm. It didn’t even have time to scream in pain. With his left arm now free, Richard slammed the phase rod hard against the head of the cat biting his thigh. Its head burst open. The cat fell to the ground.

  As soon as he was free of the two cats, Richard dropped his telekinesis and released his Power. He glanced at his heads-up display and noticed only six percent Power reserve remained.

  Can’t be helped, Richard thought. Just deal with it, marine. Deal with it.

  Richard turned his attention to the two cats rushing him. One of the cats was still in the void while the other was not. When the cats got within range, Richard took the one in the void out with his phase rod. He stuck his knife in the throat of the materialized cat. With the death of those two cats, Richard finally got a moment’s respite to formulate a plan.

  Yellow dots were flashing all around on his heads-up display as cats were forced to shift back into the dolgars’ dimension. As he tried to think of a plan, Richard replaced his knife and brought up his M63. No great plan popped in his head. Richard decided to do what he did best; shoot anything that moved as long as he had ammo.

  My turn, he thought as he pulled the M63’s trigger. Any cat within range whose yellow dot was flashing was a prime target in his opinion. They dropped like flies. The scaly felines had made a tactical error in that most of them had run out of Power at the same time. Those cats not in the void were now vulnerable to his plasma rounds. Two cats still in the void rushed him in an apparent attempt to cover for their buddies. The plasma rounds passed right through them, but Richard’s phase rod made sure all they got for their efforts were smashed heads.

  Give me a time estimate before the cats can shift again, Richard said in command voice.

  Average regeneration rate appears to be about ten seconds, wizard scout. The first of the lifeforms you call cats should be able to shift back into the void in six seconds. Previous analysis indicates they will be able to maintain their shifts again for thirty to sixty seconds.

  Darn it, Richard thought. There are too many cats and too little time.

  Richard consoled himself with the thought there weren’t as many cats in the immediate area as there had been. In addition to the ones he’d killed, several cats had been caught underground when they ran out of Power. He’d seen their yellow dots abruptly disappear when they could no longer hold their shift in the void.

  Richard continued firing his M63 at any flashing dots within range. For the most part, the materialized cats were running for cover. Richard noticed the few cats still holding their positions in the void seemed to be purposely staying out of range of his phase rod.

  They’re not stupid, Richard thought. Those cats are waiting for their comrades to recharge their Power before resuming their attack.

  Locating the two green dots of the pups, Richard ran in their direction as fast as his battle suit would take him. He continued firing as he went. Richard said a silent prayer of thanks when he noticed the two pups were heading in his direction. Whether it was due to dumb luck, or whether the pups recognized his Power signature, he did not know. Whatever the reason, the pups were hightailing it in his direction with six cats hot on their tails.

  Reaching back to his previous location with his mind, Richard grabbed the sonic-field generator and levitated it past him to a point halfway between him and the pups. Two of the cats pursuing the pups were underground. Richard noticed with satisfaction as soon as the two underground cats passed within range of the generator, they began acting erratically.

  Being blind sucks, doesn’t it, boys? Richard thought with an evil grin.

  Two of the cats on the surface had dropped their dimensional shifts when they ran out of Power. Richard killed them with a hail of plasma rounds. Upon the deaths of their comrades, the other two cats still in the void hesitated as if trying to understand what was happening.

  Just then, the two pups emerged out of a boulder and ran straight towards Richard. They stopped behind him and spun around growling at their pursuers ready to do battle. The pups were Tika and Jumper.

  It figures, Richard thought. They’re normally the troublemakers.

  Regeneration complete, said his battle computer. Cats are shifting back into the void.

  A glance at his heads-up display confirmed his battle computer’s words. The flashing yellow dots were being replaced by solid yellow all over the place. The twenty-two cats he’d left behind had reorganized and were now charging in his direction. Richard noticed about two thirds of them had shifted into the void while the other third lagged behind and remained in the current dimension.

  They’re setting themselves up to rotate cats out when they need to regenerate, Richard thought. They’re getting smart.

  Richard noticed a large mass of white dots that had grouped together about six hundred meters away. From their frequencies, he knew they were the females with their young. He had no doubt the adult females could shift into a second dimension and escape if they so desired. However, the young pups could not. Their Power regeneration was too low to sustain a full shift into a second dimension. From observation over the last few days, he knew their skills were such that they could only hold a shift into the void for a few seconds at best.

  The adult females and some of the older adolescents formed a perimeter around the younger pups. Some of the adults also took up defensive positions underground. A hundred or so of the scaly cats seemed to be probing the female dolgars’ perimeter, but the cats were not attacking in earnest. Richard got the impression the cats were content to wait for reinforcements before facing the fierce mothers who were protecting their young.

  Richard took a moment to locate the male dolgars on his heads-up display. They were near the lava river. The males were in two groups of about fifty dolgars each. They were battling a force of nearly eight hundred cats. The dolgars were bigger and faster, but the superior numbers of the cats were beginning to take their toll. As Richard suspected, the cats were rotating in and out of battle to give their companions time to regenerate. It appeared to Richard that about two thirds of the cats were staying in the void at any one time. Those cats were fighting the dolgars. The other third seemed to be staying well back until it was time to rotate in and relieve the cats running out of Power.

  Richard brought his attention back to his own troubles. The score of cats charging him would be in contact within a dozen or so seconds. Richard had no illusions he could overcome the simultaneous attacks of twenty or m
ore cats at once.

  I doubt I could kill more than a few before they overwhelmed me, Richard thought.

  It was obvious the cats had learned well from their previous mistake. Even the cats that were shifted into the void were staying above ground where they could navigate with visual inputs instead of sonic. It hadn’t taken them long to gain a healthy respect for the effectiveness of the sonic-field generator.

  Too bad they aren’t going underground where they’d be blind, Richard said wishing Nickelo was here to offering suggestions. What would Nick say at a time like this?

  Richard’s thought triggered an idea. Ripping his dimensional pack off his back, he imagined half a dozen R4A smoke canisters. The R4As were military-grade smoke devices used during wizard scout training to simulate combat conditions. They’d been a favorite of Richard’s TAC officers during his two years of pre-Academy training.

  After Richard felt Power leave his reserve, he lifted the pack’s flap and pulled out the first R4A canister. He pulled the pin on the liter-sized canister and tossed it in the direction of the charging cats. A heavy stream of white smoke immediately began spewing forth from the canister. From experience, Richard knew the R4A produced a whole lot of smoke for its size. It was a special smoke developed for the military which contained minute bits of magnetized metal. The specialized smoke negated the effectiveness of visual sight even when using night-vision equipment. Richard quickly removed the remaining canisters and threw them in every direction. By the time the cats were within the effective range of the sonic-field generator, Richard and the pups were hidden in a dense cloud of the military-grade smoke. The smoke was so thick Richard would have had trouble seeing his own hand in front of his face if he’d been using a clear filter. Even with his night-vision filter, it was difficult to see clearly.