Alien Worlds (12 page)

Lightning flashed. She could barely see it. Thick, black mucous covered her mask.

Trace shook her. “We have to go.”

Thunder rent the air.

Impani stammered. “There was something d-down there.”

“I know. I saw it.”

“What? You saw what?” She stared, and then her mouth dropped open. “Trace! You’re here! You’re alive!” She hugged him tightly. “I wanted to look for you, but Missus was making tea and— How did you find me?”

“I followed the screams.”

“I was screaming?”

“Come on. There’s shelter over here.”

He wrapped his arm about her shoulder, supporting her, forcing her to move. She staggered. Was it a dream? Was he really there with her? She concentrated upon placing one foot before the other. Lightning split the sky, and she ducked from the erupting thunder.

They reached a pile of boulders and sat beneath an outcropping. Impani couldn’t stop shivering. She swiped at the mucous on her mask, smearing it.

“I thought I’d never see you again.” She sniffled.

“I killed the queen,” he blurted as if bursting to tell her.

She paused, thinking slowly. “You killed the—”

“Just like you showed me. Got up close and shot her in the head.”

“That must be why the ants were acting so weird.”

“You saw that, too?”

“Yeah. They were about to attack. I got the perimeter guard up just in time.”

He cocked his head. “How did you fix their perimeter guard?”

“I used the power coil from my stat-gun.” She braced for his admonishment. Now they were short a weapon.

But he gave her a slow smile. “Brilliant.”

She blushed and looked away. “It made me consider our situation. If I could get more power to the homing device, it might realign the rings.”

“How do we go about doing that?”

“We could take the power core from the homing unit in my belt and hotwire it into yours. Then if you could hold me really tight and not let go—”

“Not a problem,” he said.

He pulled her close and rested his cheek on the top of her head. She relaxed into his embrace. Lightning lit the crevice, and the rocks trembled around her.

“What was that thing with me in the hole?” she murmured.

“Just a black, shapeless mass. Reminded me of an amoeba with cilia around its nucleus. I had to punch through—you were completely encased. I’m surprised you had air.”

An alien life form, probably living off minerals in the rocks, giving off oxygen as a bi-product. The darkness hadn’t come alive, hadn’t been reaching for her. A twinge of embarrassment heated her cheeks. She gazed from their meager shelter at the orange plains beyond.

Suddenly she sat upright. “Is someone out there?” She stared, not daring to believe.

Two figures came into view—one with a familiar gait.

“Natica?”

T
race stared in confusion as Impani crawled from beneath the awning of rocks and stood in the open.

“It’s Natica.” She bounced like a schoolgirl. “My friend, Natica Galos.”

He was about to assert that he didn’t see anyone when suddenly he did. Two figures climbed down a ridge. Their skinsuits reflected the orange rock, making them almost invisible. He pulled out the tri-views and focused until he could see the shimmer of their masks.

“They found us,” he murmured, not ready to believe until he heard it from his own lips. He slid out to stand beside Impani, whooping and waving. “Over here!”

One of the figures waved back.

“Come on!” Impani tugged his arm then ran.

He had to hustle to catch up. Lightning arced overhead and the ground shook—and part of him thought they were crazy to be out in the open like this.

They reached the bottom of the ridge. Boulders barred their way. Trace led through a narrow pass. The trail steepened until he was climbing the rock face by fingertip, digging with the toes of his boots. His chest heaved in the heavy air. A lightning strike bombarded him with shards, and the resounding thunder felt almost physical.

At last, he reached the top of the boulder. He stretched out his hand for Impani. An avalanche of pebbles rained down. He gazed upward at two Scouts upon a ledge.

“Natica!” Impani called.

Her friend laughed as if in relief. “Pani!”

Just then, a bolt of lightning struck at the Scouts’ feet. Through the glare, Trace saw one of them fly backward. The other toppled into a widening rift.

“No!” Impani screamed.

Trace climbed with a burst of energy. He reached the ledge just as the first Scout staggered to his feet.

“Are you hurt?” Trace grasped his arm to steady him.

He wrenched his arm away.

Impani fell to her knees beside the jagged crevasse. “Oh, no. Can either of you see her?”

Trace unclipped his wrist lamp. He played the light over rough, broken rock. The opening was narrow. Less than a meter wide. But the hole ran deep.

“There.” He passed his light over a silvery skinsuit. “She isn’t moving.”

“Oh God. Don’t let her be dead.”

“Hello, Impani,” said the other Scout.

“Robert.” Her voice was breathy. Then she seemed to collect herself. She looked again into the hole. “We have to get her out of there.”

Trace looked at the Scout, recognizing him. Robert Wilde, ringleader of a band of thugs. There was someone like him in every school. Even in prison.

“What should we do?” she cried. “There’s no telling what else is down there with her.”

“What are you talking about?” Wilde shouted over a crash of thunder. “She’s stuck in a rock. What else
could
be with her?”

Impani’s expression hardened. “I’ll get her.”

“No. I will,” Trace said.

She pulled a length of line from her belt and snapped a hook to the end.

He took her hands in his. “It’s all right. You don’t have to.”

“She’s my friend.” Tears quavered behind her voice. “Besides, I’m the only one small enough.” Her gaze held his for a moment. Then she thrust the line into his hand. “Don’t let go.”

“Depend on it.” He watched her lower herself over the edge. Black ichor still streaked her mask. “Here.” He clipped his lamp onto her wrist.

She smiled then climbed into darkness.

“How touching.” Wilde sneered. He said something more, but thunder drummed out his words.

Trace watched Impani’s bobbing light as she fed out the line. He entwined his fingers with the tines of the hook. “So, what’s the plan? How do we get out of here?”

“The plan’s gone down headfirst,” Wilde said. “Galos had the equipment and the instructions.”

Trace’s stomach sank. “I suppose you’re along just to balance the ring.”

“I came to deliver a message.” Wilde leaned nearer. “Stay away from Impani. She’s mine.”

“What?”

“You heard. She’s scared and confused right now, and I’m sure you took advantage of that. But when we get back to the academy, things will be how they were. That means without you.”

Trace stared, thunderstruck. Could Impani be involved with this raffer? “You’re nuts.” He hoped to sound unconcerned. But inside, his emotions churned. Had he misread Impani’s interest?

The line slackened.

Impani called, “I’ve reached her.”

“Is she breathing?”

“I think so. Not much room to move down here. I can’t get a good hold.” She paused. “All right. I’m retracting the line.”

Trace braced himself, holding on with both hands.

Wilde jostled him. “I’ll take it.”

“What? Get away!” He pushed back.

“She’s my girl. I’ll pull her up.” Wilde grabbed the line.

“We can discuss this when they’re safe.”

A crashing blow to the side of Trace’s head sent him sprawling. He struggled to keep his grip on Impani’s line. Wilde leaped onto his chest, grabbed his shoulders, and shook him until his head rattled against the ground.

Trace struck out with his free arm. Arching his back, he tossed Wilde to the side. Wilde rose to hands and knees and then mule-kicked him in the face. Trace’s head snapped back. His ears rang. Dazed, he lifted his fingers to his mask. The hook dropped from his hand.

<<>>

I
mpani wedged her back against the wall, gazing upward at the mouth of the crevice as the guide line yanked her belt. “Hey. What’s going on up there?”

Lightning flashed and tossed brief outlines around her. She hoisted her friend higher upon her shoulder and continued to scale the jagged breach.

Abruptly, the retracting mechanism on her belt whirred. She gazed upward, gaping as the line trailed toward her.

<<>>

T
race dove for the line. He missed it by centimeters. The hook dragged along the ground then disappeared. He grunted as Wilde’s elbow slammed into his ribcage. Rage filled him. He got to his knees. “You idiot! You let her fall!”

“You let her fall,” Wilde said, “and she’ll know it was you.”

Trace punched him in the face so hard he thought his hand broke. Thunder cracked like a sonic whip. He crept to the edge of the fissure and stared into darkness. The light was gone. Where was Impani?

Wilde barreled into him. They rolled, grappling for position, finally coming to rest with Wilde on top and Trace’s head hanging off the ledge. Wilde’s fist pressed beneath Trace’s jaw. The edge crumbled beneath his shoulders. Trace locked his arms about him, determined to take Wilde with him if he fell.

Then he felt a familiar twist of his gut. Vertigo broke in waves. The Impellic ring was coming to claim him. He writhed, gasping beneath Wilde’s chokehold, trying to tell him, trying to warn him away.

The void pounced like a living entity.

<<>>

N
ewton Ambri-Cutt leaped from his seat and whirled about as Chief Astrut burst into the control room.

“What are you doing?” the Chief yelled. “Operations are suspended.”

Ambri-Cutt backed away. “You’ve got two cadets out there—”

“Now, I’ve got four!” He spread his arms. “Did you think this experiment of yours would go undetected?”

“I can bring her home. I know I can.”

“Without authorization? What were you thinking?”

Squaring his shoulders, Ambri-Cutt said, “I was thinking that the lives of those two young people were worth losing my job.”

“Oh, you’ve gone far beyond losing your job. This is a government installation. You’ll be lucky if you aren’t tried for treason.”

Ambri-Cutt cringed. He hadn’t thought of that, hadn’t considered the consequences at all. He only wanted to see Impani safe.

The Chief pushed past him and sat at the control panel.

“Wait!” Ambri-Cutt cried.

“This mission ends now. I’m recalling your rescue team.”

“But they are already on the planet. I know they can find them.”

“In theory.” The Chief’s fingers flitted over the panel. “Your theory.”

Ambri-Cutt watched with mounting despair as the chromed cylinder brightened and illuminated the Impellic Chamber. Maybe it will be all right. Maybe they had time to give Impani the equipment.

He squinted into the glare. The light intensified then cut. His jaw dropped. Taking a shaky step forward, he stared at the Chamber.

The ring was empty.

<<>>

R
obert Wilde blinked into yellow sunlight. He rolled from Trace Hanson’s prone form and gazed at a green-blue sky. He stared at a whitewater river.

Why hadn’t he returned to the Chamber?

He stiffened, at once amazed and enraged.

“You dragged me with you.” He rammed his boot into Hanson’s ribcage.

Hanson groaned, slow to respond.

Wilde got to his feet and paced. It wasn’t supposed to happen this way. He’d planned to take Impani back with him, leave Hanson and Galos stranded. He looked down at Hanson. The raffer had spoiled everything.

Hanson held his chest. Wilde hoped he’d cracked a few of his ribs.

Then Hanson cried, “Impani!” and ran off down the bank.

Only then did Wilde notice two heads bobbing in the rapids.

<<>>

I
mpani gasped as water closed over her head. Her mask felt oddly weighted. She lifted her chin, searching for the surface. The undertow sent her somersaulting. The force of the current threatened to tear Natica from her grasp. With her friend tight in her arms, she rebounded from the river bottom and aimed toward the light.

Bright sky. Whitewater. She slammed the rocks, helpless in the current. Noise muffled and roared as she fought to keep the surface, fought to keep Natica’s head up. Water tossed them like flotsam. She glanced toward a shoreline, toward bushes and trees, and saw someone running.

Trace!

She tried to call to him, but the river sucked her under and pitched her end over end. Her mask grew heavy, the filters sodden. She burst again into the tumult of the water. Bobbing. Struggling. For a brief moment, she saw the sky. Then the weight of the mask pulled her under. In the back of her mind, a voice warned that she was running out of air.

The crosscurrent scooped her onto her back and tossed her into daylight. She glimpsed a wedge of rock before sinking beneath the surface. Sound became distant. Her vision dimmed. A peculiar heaviness built in her chest.

Suffocating. Have to get the mask off. She raised her hands. Natica slipped away and edged deeper.

“No!” Impani dove then wrapped her friend in a tight embrace. “I’ve got you.”

She closed her eyes and listened to her breath, ragged and hollow. The world became still.

Then sound broke around her, slapping her awake. Rocks loomed ahead, misty shapes in raging water. She thrashed against the current. Tumbling.

A sudden jerk snapped her around. She leaned into the tautness of her safety line and saw Trace standing in the churning river, one boot against the rocks, holding the end of the line. Water coursed over her, tugging, ripping. The pressure of her belt cut into her ribs.

A hand closed over her forearm. Impani startled, eyelids fluttering, then winced at the pull upon her arm. She grimaced, nearly torn in two by the weight on her other arm—the weight of her friend.

Gritting her teeth, she heaved Natica upward. The burden left her. The pain ceased. She felt only the tug of her belt. Like a tether. Water washed over her.

Cold air exploded against her face. She gasped and doubled over, coughing. The river spat at her. Water burned her eyes. Firm hands pulled her higher upon the wedge of rock.

Numbly, she wondered who had removed her mask. She glanced up. “Robert?”

“Relax,” Robert said. “You’re safe.”

“Where’s Natica?”

“I’ve got her.”

She leaned into his arms, her body spent, ears pounding with the roar of the rapids. Then she saw Trace.

She held out her hand for his. “Trace, thank you. Thank you both.”

He tossed her the hook from her safety line, his expression hidden by his spattered mask. “Let’s get out of this river.” He lifted Natica like a child and waded to the bank.

Impani gaped, taken aback, and followed her partner. She buried her hands in curly gray grass and pulled herself out of the water.

For a moment, she only lay there, breathing in the musty fragrance of the alien world. Then she crawled to Natica. She winced at her friend’s pallor. But she was alive.

Trace unlatched his mask, and slid it to the top of his head. He looked exhausted. She wanted to ask what had happened to him while she was in the crevice. What made him let go of the line?