There's room closer to the edge, Holly hollowed. A good meter.
Jaddig waved an acknowledgment and, using all her hands, moved the four steering levers just a fraction. The vehicle was in a crawler gear the others didn't even realize was available, and swung out a good meter over the edge before the front wheel turned and ran parallel to the edge of the abyss.
Holly gasped when she noticed the outer edge of the massive tire over nothing but air. You're too far over! she screamed and waved at the same time but Jaddig knew what she was doing. The central wheel turned at almost a right angle so, for a moment, Charlie moved sideways away from the edge. The cab followed while the rear wheels maneuvered the vehicle around the bend with the rear section now overhanging the canyon below.
George grunted in misbelief as the inside slid past the vertical cliff with centimeters to spare. The familiar diesel fumes belched into the air, wheels straightened and Jaddig accelerated beyond walking speed. A few meters ahead where the trail widened, she braked and changed the rumbling motor to neutral.
All aboard! she shouted and grinned as three humans scrambled in. Graham, who was further up the trail, waved Jaddig forward to the next ninety-degree bend. Though appearing just as difficult, the combo tackled it with ease. Jaddig waited while Graham jumped aboard, and drove into a valley surrounded by steep forested hills.
My God, Girl! George snorted. I'm glad you decided to wake up. We would have had to walk, I reckon.
Jaddig smiled, You or Holly would have managed, she replied in a modest voice but looked pleased at the compliment.
Charlie rumbled forward to make light work of the two-meter high scrub that the tires flattened and snapped like matchwood while the chassis bounced and swayed. Inside, the passengers clung to the shaking framework and let the driver concentrate. Jaddig was cool and calm in control, a tiny smile glued to her faced and yellow eyes fixed ahead as hands and feet twisted and jabbed in unison. For a second only blue sky could be seen as the combo rose high, mounted a rock and plunked down the other side.
Graham stuck his chin up from the map on his knees. We should just about be there, he advised. Not that this map shows a lot.
Now there was only scrub in view and, seconds later, the gigantic cliff face blotted out the landscape.
We're here! Holly exclaimed. Look!
The valley opened into a wide, almost square shaped grass area large enough for Charlie to turn with ease. At the end was a vertical cliff, so high, the summit gave the illusion of moving towards them. The top was still in the setting sunlight while dark shadows covered the explorers below.
Jaddig turned Charlie parallel to the cliff and switched the motor off. She wiped two hands over her face and waited for her thumping heart to slow. Holly leaped out the passenger door with Graham directly behind. She, too, felt her heart racing inside and welcomed two warm hands that held her waist from behind.
Our destiny, do you think? Graham said in a quiet voice.
It had better be, Holly sighed. After all the trouble getting here I hope we find something.
Suzi, looking serious but confident, joined them while George who, always the military man, stepped behind Charlie and searched the trail with the field glasses.
We're alone, he reported, but I'll maintain a lookout. He reached for his crossbow and glanced at Jaddig. Some of your winged compatriots could fly by. I'm sure we haven't been forgotten.
Thanks George, Holly replied but her mind was on the cliff ahead.
They stepped forward under the towering bluff that seemed to shimmer in the sunlight above as, higher still, flakes of white clouds raced across the sky.
Holly frowned and stretched her neck back. The sunlit section was shimmering. It was not an illusion. Careful, she warned. Something's not right.
Suzi stopped and let her eyes follow Holly's. She frowned and stepped back but the other two continued forward. You two stop! she screamed.
Graham looked back, grinned and was about to continue when a high pitched whistle filled the air. He stopped and glanced around.
Hear it, Jaddig? he muttered and shook his head as the cliff ahead began to spin.
She stared back at him with horror on her face. Your arm! she shrieked.
Graham looked down. His arm was in front of him but there was no hand, just nothing. He frowned and stepped back in alarm. His hand appeared, the whistling stopped and his senses returned to normal.
What is it? Holly and Suzi both asked simultaneously.
Graham turned with wide eyes and opened mouth. The whistle! he gasped, and my hand. It's all pins and needles. I suddenly felt giddy.
What whistle? Holly asked. Something was very wrong!
I heard a strange whistling noise...
...And his hand disappeared, Jaddig added.
Don't move, Suzi ordered. I'll check.
She searched around until she found a spindly tree, snapped off a long branch and held it in front at arm's length. With infinite slowness, she moved forward to where the front pair had stepped back. When she reached Graham's former position the bushy front part of the branch vanished.
I hear the whistle, she whispered and jerked the branch back. I think we have found our force field.
Everyone gathered around while Graham explained how he felt. It was like a minute electric shock, he explained, almost like a warning.
How do you feel now? Suzi asked.
Graham shrugged, Normal. As soon as I stepped back, the whistling and dizziness stopped. I wouldn't want to keep going, though.
Let's follow it sideways, George suggested. The controls must be somewhere.
Good idea, Suzi answered and took the lead. When it came to anything scientific she was the expert.
They followed the invisible force field fifty meters along the cliff face with Suzi poking the branch in every ten paces or so. Every time the branch end disappeared and she reported a faint whistling noise. They were almost at the edge where the grass became a barrier of closely growing forest, vines and dense undergrowth when Suzi stopped in front of a massive tree trunk.
That tree trunk is artificial, she stated in a neutral voice.
Holly frowned and stared. It looked perfect to her, all knotty bark towering up to branches spread high above their heads. How do you know, Suzi? She asked.
Look at the adjacent tree, the scientist said, It has moss growing on the shady side of the trunk. The next one has, too but this trunk is as clean as if someone had washed it down with a high-pressure hose. See, it is wet but the water is trickling off and not soaking in.
She reached forward with the branch until it touched the trunk in question. Nothing happened so she touched the tree with her hand. No force field, she muttered.
A brief but thorough check soon revealed that the force field circled behind the tree, changed direction a few meters on and stopped at the cliff face. Suzi returned to the tree and ran her hand across the surface of the trunk, gave a grunt of a satisfaction and pulled a piece of bark. It lifted to reveal a small red button with push written on it in English.
Do we? She asked Holly.
Holly nodded and waited. Suzi slipped a rubber glove on her hand gripped the branch and used that to push the button. Immediately, a section slid aside to reveal a rectangle of frosted glass about the size of a paperback book cover.
I think I know what this is, she whispered and placed her open hand on the glass.
It immediately turned black but when Suzi removed her hand her white handprint was left behind.
Holly bend forward, gasped and was about to say something when a metallic voice echoed through the air. She jumped in fright and stared at the others whose faces reflected their own surprise.
You have Class Three Classification, a voice announced. Classification Five is necessary to enter. Please report to a superior officer.
The hand image disappeared and glass appeared frosted again. You try it. Suzi whispered to Holly.
You have Class Four Classificat
ion, the metallic voice announced after Holly's handprint was examined. Classification Five is necessary to enter. Please report to a superior officer.
Every other human was Classification Three and the voice repeated the same monotonous reply.
What about me? Jaddig said after the disappointed human's discussed what could be done. Before anybody could object she placed her upper right hand on the glass. Her three-fingered hand appeared tiny when the handprint appeared and George looked as if he was about to make a cynical remark when the voice spoke again.
Your identification is being checked, the voice said. One moment please.
You fooled the bastard, George retorted.
A D.N.A check is necessary, the voice continued ten seconds later. Please place a strand of hair in the receptacle.
A small drawer like an opened matchbox slid out under the glass.
Hair. I have no hair! Muttered Jaddig in a disappointed voice.
Anything from your body will do, Suzi replied in an intense voice. She fixed her eyes on Jaddig and appeared deep in thought. A piece of fingernail or flake of skin or, better still, a drop of blood.
Jaddig met Suzi's eyes. What does it mean? she stuttered.
I have a theory, the scientist replied, but we'll see what happens first, shall we?
Jaddig frowned and lifted her hand up where three immaculate kept fingernails almost shone in the evening twilight. Well here goes, she said and, watched by the humans, placed a finger in her very human looking mouth and bit a tiny bit off. She held the minute piece up for Suzi to examine. I hate doing this, she complained, Is that enough?
It should be, Suzi replied. Place it in the box and push it in.
I'm scared, Jaddig said. I'm not a human.
Perhaps this is a clicker force field, George suggested.
No, it was designed by our ancestors, Suzi replied. I'm certain of that.
But how? Holly's forehead creased into a frown.
Go on, Jaddig, place it in, Suzi encouraged. Nothing will happen to you. The worse will be that rejection voice.
The crucnon nodded and dropped the tiny piece of fingernail in the receptacle and pushed it in.
Everyone waited; five seconds, ten before the voice returned.
You have Class Six Classification, it announced. Welcome to Hanger Base Beta. Your companions and yourself have ten Earth minutes to enter before the force field is reinstated. Have a nice day.
A grinding sound sounded and the cliff face immediately behind the tree shimmered for a second and disappeared.
Holly shit! George muttered. In front of them was a doorway made of a black marble type material. It was as large as the side of a house and slid open to reveal a cavity inside lit by electric lights.
The cave! Holly gasped.
Get inside. George snapped. I'll go and bring Charlie in.
He turned and ran back while the others just stood in shocked silence gazing at each other.
You heard the man, Suzi broke the silence. There's only nine minutes left.
Five minutes later the three humans and one Crucnon arrived at the entrance of a natural cave. The difference was that it was lit by electricity and against a side wall was a long building, a very human looking building with five windows, a tiny veranda and door.
Everyone seemed overwhelmed by the sudden events as George drove the combo in. The deep-throated roar of the motor echoed in the confined space and was followed by an eerie silence when the motor was switched off. George climbed down and broke into a broad grin at the sight of Suzi's serious faraway look.
Graham grabbed Holly in a massive hug and deposited a kiss on her cheek. I always wanted to do that, he grinned at the flushing woman, but never had a reason before. He stopped and looked embarrassed. I hope you don't mind.
Holly met his eyes and smiled. I don't mind Graham, she whispered. Why should I?
Two meters away Jaddig stood as white as a ghost with her tiny chin quivering. She glanced around and grabbed Suzi's arm.
What does it mean? she whispered. Her yellow eyes looked terrified. Why could my fingernail activate the door?
Suzi's expression changed to a warm smile. It means, Jaddig that we are related. You have human D.N.A genes in you and those genes came from one of the leaders of the original space ship. The computer diagnosed your D.N.A, found this relationship, assumed you were this person and opened the door.
The building was divided into two main parts with one end being a workshop and storeroom, filled with electronic equipment, weapons, and pile after pile of rations and survival gear. The other half brought a smile to weary faces. It was a living quarters with living and sleeping accommodation for a dozen people. As well as electricity there was piped hot and cold water. Everything was unexpectedly clean and tidy.
There must be some sort of automatic maintenance program, George noted as he poked his head in the workshop. Look at the stuff, here, Graham. It's a regular armory.
Yes, Graham replied. He picked up a strange looking pistol, examined it and placed it back. The place appears to be set up as a defense post; everything is self contained. I'd say one could live here quite happily for a month.
The two men walked out and around the back of the building to where a narrow stairway disappeared up through a diagonal tunnel. Let's have a peep, George said.
The stairs led up to a mezzanine floor along the top of the now closed main entrance door and was littered with equipment covered in dust, grime and cobwebs.
Nothing important here, George coughed in the dust filled air.
Graham, though, made his way through the junk to another door. After a couple of heaves he pushed it open, smiled as sunlight cut across the floor and stared out.
It leads out to a natural ledge along the cliff face, he called back to George. It must have originally been an observation deck. There's a stone protection wall and I can see right up the valley where we came in.
This could be handy, George replied after he joined his companion. I wonder if that force field functions up here. I can't remember noticing any ledge from the ground. He gazed down about thirty meters to where Charlie's tracks and crushed grass showed where they'd been. God we might as well have left directions on a sign post, he snorted.
Graham shrugged and gazed at the sergeant. Do you think we were followed? he asked.
I think so. After the roadblock, our journey was too easy. I can't believe a country on high military alert would let us slip away as they did. Now, if they were trying to find this cave, wouldn't it be easier to just follow us from a discrete distance? He wiped a hand over his chin. There were two high flying females around, earlier.
You never said anything, Graham replied.
George shrugged. Everyone was worried about our young friend and her long sleep. We couldn't do anything about them so I decided it wasn't worth adding to the problems.
But shouldn't you tell Holly?
I did, George replied. That young woman has her head screwed on. She agreed that it wouldn't help to... He stopped mid sentence and grabbed Graham's arm. Talk of the devil... he muttered and pointed.
Three winged females were flying up the valley in an arrow formation.
Get down, hissed the sergeant. We don't know whether we are hidden by the force field or not.
The clickers flew closer until they were directly above the wider section of the valley. For a moment they circled and passed mere meters in front and slightly below the observers. George and Graham could see the flapping wings, green body suits similar to the one Jaddig had worn except for the color, and searching yellow eyes. Even a faint cry could be heard as one of the females pointed to the ground. Two glided down to land by Charlie's tracks while the third disappeared out of sight above the ledge.
Good military tactics, George commented. Now we'll see how good our ancestor's force field is. If we found that fake tree, they will.
They haven't seen us, Graham whispered.
He heard a sound and turned to see
Holly standing by the open door. The enemy didn't take long, she commented and joined the two men. Are we hidden?
I believe so, Graham replied.
The two winged females below followed the crushed grass up to where Graham had first touched the force field. One jerked back in alarm and could be seen gazing at her hands.
She got zapped, George whispered.
Like the humans less than an hour earlier, the clickers tested the invisible barrier before following the trail made for them by the humans until they were out of sight near the fake tree.
Only the patrolling clicker continued flying by in lazy circles. Either they were invisible or she had nerves of steel for there was no indication that their ledge was seen.
Five minutes later there was a sharp bang like a clap of thunder and a cloud of white smoke burst up through trees. A clicker staggered out to the clearing supporting her companion.
Well, they cant be related to Jaddig, George commented dryly.
Holly stared at him and paled slightly. Of course, she exclaimed. If Jaddig had the genes to access the force field, others could, too.
Yes, George replied. Perhaps they were only Class Three Classification like us.
And now they've found us, we could be in trouble, Graham added.
Could be, Holly sighed and stared down into the valley, but it looks as if our visitors have decided to retreat.
After a wobbly start, the wounded female managed to gain altitude, there was one more circle of the area and the trio disappeared back up the valley.
Well, we won't be driving Charlie out, George muttered. Come tomorrow and the place will be swarming with clickers.
So we'd better find the shuttle craft, hadn't we? Holly replied with her lips pursed. I donut like this situation one bit.
In the living quarters below, Jaddig and Suzi were trying to piece together the puzzle of the clicker's ability to access the human computer. Suzi's attempt to put a scientific slant on the conversation was overwhelmed by the emotions the clicker girl had subjected herself to.
How can it be, Suzi? she asked for the third time. Our species have nothing in common, absolutely nothing!
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