by Steve Perry
Six rounds.
Noguchi came to the tee and ran straight. For one terrifying moment she felt totally lost, but then she saw the door. Yellow and black lines, just as Conover had said.
She aimed as carefully as she could and blew the lock off of the door. Bits of plastic and metal spewed and stung her face and hands. The door opened to reveal a room full of panels and screens. This was the central computer room, according to what Conover told her. The ship’s brains.
Noguchi slammed the door behind her and ran to the second chair.
Second chair, straight on, disk slot next to red and black strip—
She hit the transmitter’s power switch and waited for the panel to light up. She took Scott’s disk from her pocket and held it tightly. The seconds stretched like minutes. Hours. Eons…
There was an empty coffee cup on the console in front of her with “Conover” stenciled on the side. She felt a stab of pity for the pilot; he had died bravely.
The screen glowed to life with a stream of numbers and letters at the top. She carefully inserted the disk into the slot and pushed the lock button.
The computer hummed and blinked. Noguchi felt her breath catch.
If this doesn’t work, you’re dead—
A light flashed: Dir. received/pil. S. Conover, 93630/navigational complete.
She slapped the board. “Yes, yes, yes!”
It had worked.
She turned just as the door burst inward.
* * *
Dachande straightened his back and took a deep breath. If this was to be his Final Hunt, he would die fighting. Combat against a queen with only a staff—it was an honor. He would fight and he would lose but that was the only choice.
From the way Da’dtou-di had gone he heard her weapon crash several times. He tuned it out. She would have to complete her mission alone.
The queen was huge, twice as large as a drone. Her arms were longer—she had a second, smaller set protruding from her chest—her crown sleek and branched almost like antlers. Her double jaws held more than two rows of shiny teeth. And being female, she would know how to fight.
She moved toward him slowly. Her long, pointed tail dragged across the metal floor.
Dachande raised his staff and held it out slightly, legs spread wide. If she came at him like he thought she would, he would get in at least one clean cut.
The queen towered in the corridor, bent almost in half to move.
Dachande held steady. He said, “Come, Hard Meat. I killed your children. Come and join them.” An unlikely boast and neither could she understand it, but smiling into the face of Death was said to sometimes unnerve even the Black Warrior.
A sudden noise behind him called for his attention, but he didn’t take his eyes from her.
She swung her head to look past him and hissed.
Dachande’s eyes flickered. Was there someone—?
The queen leapt—
* * *
Noguchi blew the bug’s brains across the hall with two shots.
The dark jellied mass splatted against the corridor wall and ran down in clumps.
She jumped over the corpse and into the passageway. She sprinted for the tee.
It was over, or it would be soon. The barge was going to fall like a meteor, like an atomic-powered meteor and when it hit, it would take out what was left of Prosperity Wells. And the rest of the alien brood. There wouldn’t be anything remaining here but a smoldering crater.
The escape pod should get them far enough out of town—
At the turn to get back to the ladder, the corridor beyond exploded into motion.
Noguchi let out a cry and then aimed at one of the bugs that sprang for her. The bullet knocked it down, still shrieking.
Two shots now, only two left—
Noguchi reached the top of the rung ladder down to the second level. The ladder was twisted, torn loose from the wall. Shit—!
“Broken T—!”
She stopped. Below her, the warrior stood. And faced one of the nightmare creatures, a giant, huge, it filled the entire corridor!
At the sound of her voice, the monster looked up and hissed, a horrible, raspy sound that chilled her to the pit of her soul.
—Queen—
It spun and lashed out at Broken Tusk as Noguchi aimed her handgun at it.
The impossibly long and heavy tail crashed against the warrior’s chest. His spear flew and he was knocked flying.
She heard the sound of the impact from where she was. Broken Tusk smacked against the door he guarded and bounced off it. His blood seemed to glow against his dark armor. He didn’t move.
Noguchi fired, her chest tight. The queen screamed and turned toward her.
The bullet missed.
Without thinking, Noguchi jumped to the second level, revolver in front of her. One shot left. One chance.
Her knees buckled as she hit the platform, but she didn’t fall.
The queen shrieked and started for her.
Noguchi prayed that one bullet would stop her—
—fired—
—and the monster fell backward, screamed, and thrashed on the floor. Chest shot.
Not dead, but down.
Noguchi ran to Broken Tusk. She dropped the empty weapon. The nightmare queen’s tail lashed out and would have knocked her down if she hadn’t jumped.
Broken Tusk took the lash again in the chest. Blood spattered.
Noguchi kicked at the door to the escape pod and stumbled. The inner hatch was open.
The queen screamed, a piercing howl. Her death chant, Noguchi hoped.
She bent over the injured warrior and got one arm under him. With strength she didn’t know she had, she lifted with a grunt—
—and he slid with her into the pod.
Sweat ran down her face. She pulled again, and his feet cleared the door.
No time, no time—
She half fell into a chair in front of the panel and searched frantically for the control.
Behind her, the alien screamed again in pain and fury.
Broken Tusk groaned and rolled toward Noguchi.
Noguchi found the button, right in front of her. In her panic she had missed it.
Movement behind her. A scream that sent hot, charnel, rotting air across her back. She half turned, hand on the button—
—and the queen was there, her head in the pod, her huge claw came down—
—and embedded in the warrior’s shoulder.
Broken Tusk screamed.
Noguchi slammed the door’s override button.
The thick metal door closed. The grinning head seemed to rush at her—
—and then toppled to the floor as the pressure door, designed to seal the ship against hard vacuum, crunched the exoskeleton of the monster’s relatively thin neck and beheaded the queen.
Her disembodied hand was still buried in the motionless warrior’s back.
Noguchi hit the next button.
And they were free of the larger ship, flying.
* * *
The pain was bad, but Dachande let it happen.
He didn’t understand it for a moment. It. Something. Da’dtou-di, was she here? Had they killed her?
He felt oddly weightless for a short time—
—flying—
And then the floor rose up and slammed against him.
There was a burst of new pain. Gravity returned, with more aches than he’d ever had. He was hurt, badly hurt.
Then a rush of hot, clean air. Light assaulted his eyes. His breathing mask was gone. Too much of the planet’s combustive oxygen flooded into his lungs. He couldn’t last more than a few hours breathing such potent air.
He coughed. Warm liquid ran down his throat, but it still felt raw, wounded.
A shadow moved over him. He was lifted slightly and pulled.
He growled in pain but couldn’t seem to form a protest. The air blinded him. He was outside.
He opened his eyes slowly and foc
used on the face that hovered over his.
Da’dtou-di!
He felt a burst of pride. She had survived, had helped him.
Dachande started to speak and coughed again. More pain.
He reached for the loop on the arm of his suit, but his fingers had grown clumsy.
Da’dtou-di placed her fragile hand under his and moved it for him.
* * *
Noguchi’s throat felt tight. There was a stone in her chest, heavy and painful. Pale blood covered the warrior, his breathing slow and labored. He was dying.
They had made it. The pod had landed with a jarring impact somewhere in the east desert, far from Prosperity Wells; the chute had opened at least. But…
Broken Tusk raised a shaky hand toward his other wrist, but couldn’t seem to maneuver it well. Noguchi guided it for him.
It was the recording device. She felt her eyes brim as her own voice spilled out.
“Hold the fort. I’ll be back when I’m done.”
Broken Tusk grabbed at the alien claw, still embedded in his shoulder. “Hang on,” she said. “Help will be here soon, the colonists will come—” She faltered and choked. Then gave him what she felt he needed. “We did it. We killed the bugs. The queen. You and I.” She waved her hand, feeling helpless.
He pulled the queen’s claw loose and looked at it.
She pointed at it, nodded, made a throat-cutting gesture.
He understood. She was sure of it, because he nodded in return. Then he grasped one of the long, spidery digits and snapped it off, groaned with the exertion. Hissing blood dripped from the finger.
Broken Tusk then motioned at the mark on his face, a jagged bolt between his eyes. He motioned at her and then at the scar again.
Noguchi nodded and leaned closer.
* * *
Da’dtou-di had to be Blooded. It was his responsibility, as Leader.
Dachande tore off one of the queen’s fingers. It hurt to move, to breathe, to live, but this was important; it was all he had left.
Da’dtou-di came closer, closed her eyes. Something wet splashed on Dachande’s face; he ignored it. It was time.
The warrior dipped one claw into the alien blood and then spat on the claw. His own blood mixed with the alien’s acidic ichor. That was part of it. His blood would partly neutralize the potent chemicals from the Hard Meat. Moving with great care, he reached out and etched his mark into her pale skin, on the forehead, between her eyes. He managed to keep his hand from shaking long enough to draw his symbol.
She hissed in pain, but didn’t move. She was brave, Little Knife. She had helped him and they had killed the queen. That was something to take and lay at the feet of the Black Warrior.
Dachande dropped his hand, exhausted. The animal loop played again, some ooman speak from long before. It didn’t matter; he had been ready for a long time and now was the moment. He had no complaints.
He wished he could talk in her language, teach her what he could—be brave, Hunt well, respect your Leader. But she already knew most of that. The rest, she would surely learn. She was Blooded now, and somehow she would learn. Even though they had only been together a short time, he knew all about her.
The best student he ever had.
* * *
Tears fell before Broken Tusk even touched her. She started to wipe at her eyes, but then closed them instead. The dying warrior was going to give her his mark, she understood what he wished. She leaned down.
The pain was short and burning. A trickle of green blood ran down her nose.
Broken Tusk dropped his hand, and her voice spoke again from the loop, softly this time.
“I’ll remember you.”
Noguchi lowered her head and started to sob, the first real tears she had cried in a long time.
Behind them, a light appeared in the sky. A ball of flame plummeted through the Ryushi sunlight, headed for Prosperity Wells.
Noguchi glanced behind her as the explosion thundered through the desert. The air around her compressed suddenly. Fiery air washed over them with the sound, the roar and rumble of it.
When the sound died, the town was gone. As quickly as that.
She turned back to the warrior. Buried her face in her hands and rocked slowly, back and forth.
Dachande had stopped breathing. Like the town, he was gone.
EPILOGUE
Dahdtoudi woke up early on the morning they came.
It was first light on the open plain that unfolded in front of her small home. She yawned and stretched as she climbed out of bed and glanced out the window. The air felt different somehow, electric—
Only two years before, she would have disregarded the sense of change as nonsense, superstition. But “quiet” didn’t start to describe the experience of living on a world where she was the only human; she had developed a feel for Ryushi, the way an athlete could feel her body and its fluctuations. The air was different, no question. Something was going to happen.
Something.
She pulled on a coverall and slipped on her boots. She pulled her shaggy hair into a knot at the back of her neck as she walked into the tiny kitchen for a glass of water. The new well between her home and the near cliff was clean, the water sweet. No more riding twenty klicks for a shower at the old well, either.
Dahdtoudi drank the cool water slowly and thought about the day ahead. Yesterday, she had run through forms, so today was weight day. Also water day for the sheltered garden in the glassed shed behind the house. Tomorrow she would ride the east sector and check for visitors…
She finished and set the glass in the sink. It was feeding time first.
Dahdtoudi walked outside and almost tripped on Creep. The dog jumped and wagged his tail, excited to see her.
She scruffed the dog behind his ears. “I’m excited, too, Creep. It’s been what, six hours since last we met?”
Creep barked happily and followed her to the rhynth pen. He ran between her legs and almost knocked her over.
“Dumb dog,” she said fondly. He barked again.
She couldn’t look at the mutt without thanking Jame and Cathie silently. Creep had been good company, had kept loneliness from getting too big. They had acted as though it would be best for the dog, to be able to run free—but the gift had been for her, too.
“Good morning, kids.”
The three rhynth that she kept turned their heads slowly to watch her approach. Spot, Milo, and Mim. They weren’t as good at conversation as Creep, but they were tame. They also acted as transport; she had a flyer, but eventually her fuel would run out, so she saved it for emergencies. Keeping them as pets made it harder to eat meat, but it was a matter of survival. Besides, she only had to hunt once every two months or so…
Dahdtoudi dumped some grain in their trough and scratched Mim behind her leathery ears. The beast snorted and started to eat as if she’d been starving.
“Should have called you ‘pig,’” said Dahdtoudi. The rhynth ignored her.
She walked back to the house and sat down on the front porch to watch the suns rise. There was enough light for her to see the queen’s skull, bleached by the hot suns where it perched on her roof. Her trophy, hers and Broken Tusk’s.
Creep lay down next to her and nuzzled her legs.
“What’s different today, dog? Something is different.”
Creep glanced at her and then rested his head on his paws. She patted his side and smiled.
They had been here alone for almost two years. After Broken Tusk had died, she had joined the colonists for the long wait. It had taken nearly two months before help had arrived, and by then her decision was made, was firm. Was irrevocable.
At first a couple of the ranchers had argued with her, but they soon gave up.
The company hadn’t tried to change her mind at all. She could have been charged with something, however trumped up the charges would have been, but the final word was that “her actions had been dictated by necessity.” Her executive contract had been
quietly bought out, which was fine by her. Chigusa was worried about liability and declared the whole thing a write-off. The old man wasn’t stupid. He gave her a permanent, official position as a “caretaker,” and pulled his interests out of the Cygni system. He never threw good money after bad, so it was said, and he was superstitious about staying on a world so cursed as this one. The galaxy was full of worlds and the old man owned hundreds of them. He would never miss this one.
Only Roth and her spouse and Weaver had seemed to understand why she wanted to stay.
So the colonists had gone to start over again in the Rigel system, and she was left alone to start over on Ryushi. And she had been happy. For the first time in her life, there had been no dragons. There was only peace.
“Everything I care about is right here,” she said softly.
Creep sighed, most likely bored. She’d had a lot of time to replay conversations and events in her mind, and the dog had suffered the same stories for two years.
A flash of movement in the morning sky caught her attention. For several seconds she thought she was seeing things; it had been so long…
The flash grew brighter and brighter. She watched its progress as it ripped through the air, the sound far away. Creep sensed her excitement and sat up, whining softly.
The object fell gracefully in an arc to land to the west, maybe half a day’s ride by rhynth, maybe less. Dahdtoudi Noguchi stood quickly and tried not to get her hopes up.
“Probably a meteor, that’s all…”
But she didn’t really think so. She went to get ready.
* * *
Seven hours later, she dismounted Milo and moved through the harsh sunlight toward a small stand of rocks. She carried her binoculars and carbine; the company had left her with plenty of supplies.
A thin stream of smoke still rose from where the object had landed, in a small valley set among a stand of steep rock walls.
Dahdtoudi slipped between the rocks silently and propped herself up on a baked stone. She scanned left to right until she picked up the smoke—
A small vehicle on treads buzzed across the cracked dirt, maybe a hundred meters away. She zoomed in, her heart hammering.
Behind it was a trail that extended beyond her range of vision. A trail of spheres, oval-shaped—
