by Thomas Stone
"What now?" Parker asked, wild-eyed.
Without speaking, Fagen unstrapped his restraints and made his way into the lower compartment. He pulled away a panel and reached in amid a jumble of wires. Finding what he wanted, he pulled once, then twice and a handful of wires came loose.
"What are you doing?" Parker screamed.
Fagen ignored the doctor and went to another panel. He yanked the cover away and pulled on some more wires. This time they came away easily. He didn't bother to replace the cover.
He turned and looked up into the cockpit, facing the doctor. "Down here."
"What?"
"Get down here. Now!"
Parker frowned, but unstrapped himself anyway and floated down into the lower compartment. Fagen opened the wide locker that held the EVA suits.
"Get suited up."
"We're going to leave the shuttle?"
"Unless you want to die."
Although he didn't immediately accept the fact, the doctor did as he was told and began to don his spacesuit. "What's the matter with the shuttle?"
"I think the aliens sabotaged it. Hydraulics gone, coolants gone, the mini-reactor's heating up. I can't stop it."
"How long have we got until it explodes?"
Fagen shrugged. He didn't know. The commander floated into the cockpit and radioed the Magellan. After a short pause, Nadine answered. Fagen gave her the coordinates for the shuttle, then added, "We're bailing out, Nadine. I've got a reactor overload and I'm 90 miles away."
Bonner's voice replaced Nadine's. "Stay put, Edward. We'll pick you up."
"Not a good idea, Bill. The thing could blow anytime. We'll try to make our way back on our own."
Parker chimed in. "Maybe we should let Bonner pick us up."
"Might get us all killed," snapped Fagen.
"Roger, understand," said Bonner, concern in his voice. "We'll try to track you, let us know what's going on. We'll be ready to move in, if needed."
"Just stay put," said Fagen, "and secure the ship against electro-magnetic pulses. With a little luck, we'll see you shortly. This is Fagen, out."
Parker looked unbelievably at the commander. "90 miles? On an EVA?"
Fagen ignored the doctor and took a last look at the instrument readings before floating back down into the lower compartment. He helped Parker with the EVA suit, then donned his own.
When they were ready, together they stepped into the airlock, sealed the hatch and depressurized the compartment. Fagen punched a button and the hatch opened.
Parker gaped at the stars but Fagen didn't waste any time. He pulled himself out of the airlock and floated a few feet from Parker. Along the hull, Fagen saw burned and pitted marks where the explosion from the laser cannon had damaged the shuttle. It was a wonder they hadn't crashed on takeoff. Drifting farther away, Fagen punched an airjet and stabilized himself. It was Parker's turn.
He hesitated and Fagen waved. "Come on Parker. You can do it."
"I'm coming." Parker came through the hatch a little too fast. He tried to brake himself but a miscalculation sent him spinning off.
Briefly, Fagen thought about letting him go, but with a short burst from his jets, he pursued the doctor. Precious time and fuel was wasted, but he managed to catch up and point the doctor in the right direction. Together they started their trek to the Magellan and hoped they could get far enough away to avoid being killed by the imminent explosion.
*
If it hadn't been for the weightless environs, Nadine would have paced up and down the confines of the bridge. As it was, she had to sit still. She glanced at Bonner. The engineer calmly sat at his console and watched for the flash that would mark the position of the shuttle.
"I'm tired of this," she said.
Bonner didn't move his eyes from his display. "Well, it won't be long."
"What if they don't make it?"
"We've been over this already. Why don't you check on Blane again?"
"He's all right. The last two times were the same: he sits down there plugged into the computers and ignores me. I hate being ignored."
"What do you expect from Blane?"
"I don't know. I can't imagine why Fagen wanted him along anyway. He's a detriment to this whole mission."
"He's great with computers..."
"...and lousy with people."
"The guy is a genius, Nadine."
"That doesn't excuse him."
"Yes, but..." Bonner stopped in mid-speech.
"What is it?"
"Check your telemetry of the alien ship. Has it moved closer to us?"
Nadine checked the readouts on her console. Her expression verified what he thought. "No doubt about it, it's creeping back. Jesus, Bill, what are we going to do? If Fagen has any chance at all in getting back, we can't move the ship."
Bonner punched the intercom. "Blane?"
There was no answer.
The engineer spoke into the intercom again. "Blane? If you're there, answer me."
Finally, Blane's voice floated through the speaker. "Yes, what is it?"
"I thought you might like to know, the alien ship is easing this way again."
"Yes, I know."
Nadine looked at the speaker in disbelief. "He knows?"
Bonner shrugged and spoke into the intercom again. "Got any ideas how to handle this?"
"We can't move the ship. Fagen is coming to this spot. Of course, we could tell him of our new position, but I doubt if he has either enough air or fuel for his jets to make any course corrections. To be perfectly honest, I doubt if he has enough air to make it this far."
Nadine bristled again. "Well then, why don't we just leave? Blane? Did you hear what I said?"
The wirehead did not reply immediately. She looked at Bonner. "He's thinking it over. Maybe he's not as crazy as I thought. Look, we've got all the information we came for," Nadine counted off on her fingers. "We've got pre-nova activity in a neighboring system, we've got hostile aliens that make the hostile natives look tame, and a commander that doesn't have a chance of surviving. We should get out of here while we can."
The engineer shook his head. "I don't know, Nadine."
Blane's voice came through the speaker again. "I, uh, don't see that the alien ship offers a threat at this time. In regard to the shuttle activity, we are out of explosion range. My calculations tell me the nova could be in the next twenty-four hours or next week. What difference does a few hours make? Fagen is the most capable man I know. If anyone can traverse 90 miles of space, it would be him. I suggest we monitor the situation closely."
The intercom clicked off, suggesting that Blane was finished with the discussion.
Disgusted, the navigator looked at Bonner. He avoided her gaze.
"What do you think?"
Bonner didn't like to make decisions. He hadn't been in a situation even remotely similar before. Not many people had. It wasn't his job to make life and death decisions. It wasn't Nadine's call either. The thing that bothered him was that the woman appeared to be correct. They might be able to save themselves.
He looked at his board and noted that the alien ship had closed another 5000 yards. He was about to admit that Nadine was right and shifted in his seat to look at the woman. Before he had a chance, a bright flash of light filled the monitors that displayed the area where the wounded shuttle drifted in its orbit.
Both Nadine and Bonner wordlessly watched as the burst blazed for a moment, then quickly diminished.
Chapter 33
When they broke out of the trees, Harry didn't immediately see the cave. By that time, it was too dark. The sun had set nearly a full hour before. Kretin and Arai, carrying the remains of their grandfather, crossed the stream and set the body on the opposite bank while they waited for Harry to catch up.
Once he crossed the stream, Harry saw the illumination from a campfire and knew they were at the journey's end. It couldn't have come any sooner. He was exhausted. The alien had quit struggling long before and Harry
wondered if it was still alive. At the moment, he didn't care one way or the other. He'd prevented the natives from killing it outright, but now he was so tired, he couldn't remember why.
As they climbed the rocks, heads appeared from above. When the surviving members of the tribe realized what Kretin and Arai carried, the mood changed from welcoming joy to bitter mourning.
The females cried and pulled their hair out in furry tufts. The children, who had been asleep, awoke and began to cry as well.
Harry, amid stares, staggered to a boulder and set the alien down. He heard Kretin make a reference to him, explaining to the others who he was. For the time being, he was ignored.
The women gathered around the body. From their cries, Harry gathered that because of the mutilation the soul of the old man was in danger of being lost. Apparently, entrance into abo heaven was restricted to those whose bodies remained intact.
The wailing of the women disturbed the children even further. Not knowing what to do, they sat in their beds and cried while the women treated the dead Bedoran's wounds as if he were still alive. That was when Harry saw the female aborigine dressed in Kathleen's jumpsuit.
In his excitement, Harry's exhaustion fell away. Perhaps Kathleen was still alive. In an instant, the prospects of being stranded on an alien planet didn't seem quite so imposing.
Harry stood up. He wanted to talk, he wanted to ask someone about the girl, but the time wasn't right. The natives were obviously in the throes of mourning.
Arai approached the alien, took a grip on the netting, and pulled it away. The women hurled insults at it. In response, as if it knew what they said, the creature went into another fit of hissing and spitting. Its eyes flashed anger and it struggled ineffectively against its bonds.
With Kretin's help, they removed the monster from the net and staked it out on the ground, hands and feet spread wide, held by leather strips. When Arai completed the task, he disappeared into the cave, returning moments later with a wooden bowl full of nuts and berries. These he offered to Harry.
Harry ate slowly and hoped he wasn't poisoning himself. He also looked for the opportunity to discuss the whereabouts of Kathleen. As the boy squatted and munched on nuts, Harry figured the time was as good as any.
In his imperfect Bedoran speech, Harry asked about the woman's clothing. He pointed at the female wearing the corporation coveralls.
"Where did she get the...?" Harry didn't know how to say 'clothes' -- there was no Bedoran equivalent.
Arai sniffed in irritation, flicked his tail, and remained mute.
After a moment, Harry realized he hadn't asked properly. Starting again, he first asked permission to speak. Arai sniffed again, then signaled for Harry to ask his question. Harry did so and Arai acted as if it was the first time he had heard it.
"The outer covering?" Arai answered. "That came from a she-thing. We found her in the forest. Was she from your tribe?"
"Yes," Harry answered quickly, "I've been looking for her. Do you know where she is?"
The boy waved his tail in the negative. "Not any more. She was here but she was lost in the forest. It was too bad. I liked her."
"What happened?"
The boy motioned toward the alien. "They took her."
"Where?"
"At the place in the forest where the monsters come from. There is a place where they live and that is also where their flying thing rests."
"Can we go to see?"
Arai shrugged. "Perhaps tomorrow."
Harry started to argue, but realized it wouldn't do any good. Even as much as he needed to rest, now he had reason to go on.
Kretin overheard their conversation and drifted over, away from the women, to a spot beside his younger brother.
Harry asked to speak to Kretin. The Bedoran signaled affirmatively.
"I want to go to the monster's place."
"It is dangerous," Kretin replied, "but I too would go to take revenge."
"I am ready," Harry said with bravado.
The Bedoran shook his head and flicked his tail. "You are not. Your legs and back are weary. You must rest awhile, then we will go."
Harry pointed at the alien. "What of this creature?"
Kretin bared his teeth. "In the morning, we will dismember it, slowly. If it has a heart, we will burn it in the ritual fire so that its soul cannot pass from this world." He took a pebble and spat on it, then tossed it at the helpless creature. It bounced off and the monster squirmed.
"Now we must rest." Kretin pointed to a vacant spot just inside the mouth of the cave and instructed Harry to take his rest there.
Harry staggered to the spot and lay down. In minutes, he was asleep.
*
At one point in the evening, when both moons had risen and Kretin had gotten up for the third time, Arai awoke and joined his brother.
"Everyone is finally asleep, except for the deformed creature." Arai gave a look toward the alien. It watched them through half-closed eyes.
"Let it remain awake," Kretin said bitterly, "and it will sleep no more."
"The days are growing hotter. Perhaps the time of reckoning is upon us, as the legends foretell."
Kretin looked at the star-filled sky. "If that is so, then there is no hope. Grandfather might have known what to do, but I do not."
The boy tried to soothe his brother. "Whatever happens, we have taken our revenge. Our honor is intact."
"There is still more to be done. As long as the monsters walk the forests, I will have no peace."
The boy saw that his brother was weary and worried about what was to come for the tribe. The future was uncertain and it weighed most on the new tribal leader.
"In the morning we will start anew. The morning brings the new day."
"Yes, it is so," Kretin agreed. "The dawn will bring a new day. For now, we must rest."
It was what Arai hoped to hear. The two went back to their beds and eventually both went to sleep.
The alien ceased its struggling, but not once did it close its eyes. Over the embers of the dying fire, it watched the sleeping tribesmen. When it was sure everyone was asleep, it craned its neck until the strap securing one hand was within reach of its foul-smelling mouth and it began to gnaw its way through.
Its blunted teeth worked at the strap and, before long, it managed to gnaw through the leather. Working quickly, it untied itself from its remaining restraints. When it was free, it lay quietly to ensure it had not been seen. After a moment, it partially rose and then scurried into the nearby shadows.
Down to the last child, the tribe slept. Kretin had finally found escape from his problems by allowing sleep to overtake him. Likewise, Harry slept soundly.
The alien moved again, this time closer to Kretin. Beside the sleeping Bedoran was his pouch, a net, and his spears. The creature moved stealthily to the pouch. While it watched Kretin closely with one eye, it opened the pouch and dug inside with a small, clawed hand. It found what it wanted and withdrew the gemstone.
Without any more hesitation, the alien stole its way into the night.
Later, Arai awoke and went for water. The sleepy boy walked past the spot where the alien had been laid out, but didn't notice the creature was missing. Quenching his thirst, he sipped from the community bowl. The forest was quiet and the stars shone brightly from above. The boy watched the sky for a moment before turning back to his bed.
Lying down again, he turned on his side and thought about his Grandfather. Life without him would not be the same. Arai noted that he no longer felt like a boy and recognized that a part of his young life was over. A tear ran down his furry cheek, not for himself, but for the old one.
He wiped his cheek with the back of his hand and blinked the remaining tears from his eyes. That was when he saw that the creature was gone. Suddenly, Arai was fully awake.
He jumped to his feet and crossed to where the gnawed strap lay, still tied at one end to a stake driven into the ground. The boy went to his older brother.
"Kretin! Wake up!"
Kretin mumbled in his sleep.
"Brother, wake up!" Arai repeated. "The creature is gone!"
Kretin's eyes fluttered open. "What?"
The boy pointed. "The creature has freed itself. What shall we do?"
Kretin sat upright and looked to where his brother pointed. When he realized what had happened, he pounded the ground in anger. "It cannot be far. Let's track it down and kill it as we should have done in the beginning."
Arai nodded gravely. Kretin got to his feet. "Get your spears," he told the boy.
Kretin stepped lively past the sleeping bodies and retrieved his weapons. The cave was dark and cool, the fire had died and along with it, the light. Even so, Arai stepped without disturbing the others and woke Harry with a not so subtle jab to the ribs.
Harry blinked and remembered where he was. "What is it?" he said first in English, then repeated himself in the Bedoran language.
"We're going hunting. The creature has escaped. We will kill it tonight. You are responsible, so you will help us."
Harry shook the grogginess from his head and stood. Arai handed him the water bowl and Harry took a deep drink. Upon finishing, he looked Kretin in the eye. "All right," he said, "which way?"
Chapter 34
The effects of the explosion were minimal, relatively speaking. Dispersed into the vacuum of space, the shock wave was short-lived, as well as the electro-magnetic pulse. Long before the corona subsided, Bonner was at the radio, calling for Fagen.
Steadying herself, Nadine gaped at her instruments.
"I want out of here. Now! When I get back, I'm gonna take a nice, soft desk job with the Corporation."
"I thought you wanted to retire."
"Right now, I don't care if I make a cent off this as long as I get back alive. Do you think Fagen and Parker made it through?"
"I don't know. It depends on how far away they were. The EVA suits are well-insulated against radiation."
"If they're alive, why don't they answer?"