Nate Armstrong and the Death Ray of Sultron

by Mark Lawson

  “Helmet and gloves, helmet and gloves, seal me in,” directed Nate.

  Nate’s suit flowed out to his fingers and his helmet slid up and over his head.

  Nate peered over the rock and out through the darkened slits that covered his eyes.

  If the rodent-like creatures were running for their lives – and all that Nate had seen seemed to suggest that that is precisely what they were doing – then it was at least possible that the creature that was chasing them was using its sense of smell to hunt its prey. Nate reasoned that if only he could seal himself inside his suit he could hide his body heat and his smell from whatever was chasing the rats and stay safely hidden.

  Nate looked over at the clearing, trying to imagine what beast would come bounding out of the forest. As he looked he saw a small rodent caught in the vines at the far side of the clearing. Nate desperately wanted to be brave and help the rodent, but at the same time he knew the risk he was taking.

  Finally, Nate darted from his hiding place behind the rock and raced across the clearing. As he did so he felt the earth beneath his feet begin to tremble. The leaves on the trees shook on their branches and the rocks on the edge of the clearing began to bounce out of the diverts in which they had been resting. Whatever was about to come out of the forest was big, very big. There was little doubt in Nate’s mind that it was also very hungry.

  Nate sped across the clearing and scooped up the defenceless animal. He made a desperate dive for the undergrowth on the opposite side of the clearing, just as he heard the trees lining the edge of the clearing crack and crash to the ground. Nate peered out from between the foliage and saw the great predator stop in the middle of the clearing, lowering its face to the ground in an effort to detect the scent of the animals that it had been chasing.

  Nate clasped the small rodent to his chest, trying to completely cover it so as not to give away the rodent’s, and his own, location among the undergrowth.

  The beast was covered in an armour-like hide, striped blue and orange. It stood upon two short, but powerful hind legs. A massive head sat upon the enormous body. Two sharp teeth stood out from under the lower lip and wrapped around and outside the upper jaw on its vicious, ugly face.

  The animal looked around the clearing. It sniffed at the ground and then lifted its head. Nate ducked down behind the large leaves which had so far concealed his position. He clutched the rodent tightly to his chest, doing his best to wrap the animal in the folds of his suit. Sensing the urgency of the situation, Nate’s suit responded by flowing around the small animal’s body, sealing it in. The beast swayed its great head from side to side smelling at the air. Again, it lowered its head and sniffed the ground. Nate froze. The monster repeated this process a number of times before bounding into the undergrowth in the direction in which the rodent herd had run.

  Nate sighed in relief. He uncurled his body, retracted his helmet and lifted the small, furry rodent up to his eye level. Nate stared at the little animal. It stared back at Nate through its four, bright yellow eyes.

  “Thank you,” stammered the rat.

  “You’re welcome,” Nate replied, surprised that he was holding a conversation with a rodent. He set the small creature down on the ground.

  “I wouldn’t stay here too long if I were you,” warned the rodent. “There’s plenty more beasts where he came from.”

  As the little rat raced off, Nate hurried towards the ventilation shaft.

  After another fifteen minutes of cautiously pushing through the undergrowth, he had made it to the far wall of the cave. He looked up at the metal tube that fell from the ceiling and disappeared into the side of the cave high above his head.

  “It must have taken some drilling to penetrate the ceiling and walls of this cave,” thought Nate.

  He looked again at the sheets of moss and vines that hung from the walls. He could climb on them, but once he reached the canopy he had a further 100 or 150 metres left to climb before he would be able to reach the tube. Once above the canopy Nate would be exposed to attack from screeching bats. Nate shuddered at the thought of facing those creatures again.

  Nate stopped to think. The creatures that he had encountered when last he stood above the canopy had used sonar to detect his presence. Even then, Nate was sure that the creatures did not know what he was when they first swooped down upon him, only that he was there. It was only after they drew blood that they seemed intent upon attack. Perhaps there was some way that Nate could disguise himself as he ascended the wall. Some way that he could make them think that he was anything other than their next meal.

  As he looked at the wall, Nate realised that the answer to his dilemma lay just in front of him. He hurriedly tore vines and sheets of moss from the walls and draped them over his body and head. He made sure to cover every part of his body, leaving only a small gap at eye level out of which to see.

  He cautiously stuffed his ears with moss, just in case he had to endure the screeches of those strange creatures again. “If they come at me again, earplugs will allow me to keep my wits about me,” Nate reasoned.

  After stuffing his ears Nate retracted his helmet, covering it with moss and vines and began his ascent up the sheer wall.

  Nate climbed effortlessly up the rocky wall until he emerged above the canopy into the brighter, but still quite dim, orange light above. He slowed his pace just in case the flying creatures used sonar to detect movement. Nate scaled the wall slowly and deliberately. Each movement was smooth and short. He rested often, not to catch his breath, but to listen for the sound of flapping wings or a distant screech.

  Nate continued his slow climb, hauling himself up on the vines and finding foot holes wherever he could. He reached out his right hand and carefully grabbed hold of a vine. He pulled himself up. He reached out his left hand and grabbed another vine. As he transferred his weight between his right arm and his left, the vine gave way and fell to the forest floor. It took with it other vines and tufts of moss that had previously been covering a large section of the cave wall. Nate struggled to maintain his balance. His feet scrambled against the slippery wall in a vain effort to gain traction. In a final act of desperation Nate flung out his now free left hand and grabbed hold of a rocky ledge, arresting his fall.

  Nate looked at the wall where the moss and vines had fallen away. Behind it lay the opening to a small cave. He peered through the inky blackness and saw the outline of a bat’s head: a large pair of pointed ears and an upturned nose. The creature appeared to stir and slowly turn in Nate’s direction. Nate froze against the side of the cave. Suddenly, Nate caught sight of a sudden movement to his left. He didn’t dare turn his head, lest he should give himself away, but he distinctly saw a spur at the end of a long, leathery wing flash past his face. Nate stared straight ahead as the sap from the vines that he was wearing dripped down over the eye slits in the front of his helmet. Still frozen, Nate saw the creature’s small, upturned nose push itself out of the small cave and into the dim light to sniff at the air.

  Nate held his breath.

  The creature sniffed the air again and again. Its nose twitched and its head tilted to the side as though deep in thought. Finally, it retracted its head back into the small cave.

  Nate waited for a few moments, then satisfied that the creature had decided he wasn’t edible after all, he slowly dragged himself away from the small cave and up the wall.

  At last Nate swung himself onto the metallic pipe. He retracted his helmet so that he could get a better look at the tube and decide how best to get into it. He reached into his pocket and extracted the laser knife that Farden had given him on board Big Sister. A thin red beam of light sliced into the pipe, cutting through it effortlessly.

  Nate had completed half of the circular hole that he was cutting in the pipe when he sensed movement on the wall below. He squinted to make out the shape that was rapidly approaching him. To his horror he also heard a muffled screech as the objects that he could see below him climbed up the wall, wing
over wing as they dug their sharp spurs into the mosses and vines that covered the rock. “The energy from the laser knife must have attracted their attention,” thought Nate, as he doubled his efforts to cut through the pipe. Leaning into the hilt of the knife, Nate cut faster and faster.

  Nate glanced down the cliff. The creatures were almost upon him. Their screams reached a crescendo as they emerged from every small crack and cave on the side of the steep wall. They crept up and along the walls towards Nate determined not to let him get away again. Small droplets of blood dripped down the vines from the seeping gash on Nate’s cheek. As the droplets splashed onto the creatures below they worked themselves into a frenzy, screeching and clambering over each other to be the first to reach their prey.

  Chapter 14: Inside the dome

  Nate kicked at the nearly complete circle that he had now cut in the ventilation shaft. It swung open and he quickly jumped in. As he landed, Nate’s shoes gripped the steep sides of the metal tube. He momentarily swayed backwards and forwards, struggling to gain his balance. Having steadied himself, he pushed the circular disk back into its position in the pipe, flipped the laser knife over in his hands and began to weld the cut closed. A beam of green light leapt from the hilt as Nate worked his way around the hole.

  Nate barely had time to weld a small portion of the disk back into place before he felt the whole pipe shake as one of the large, bat-like creatures crashed into it. The muffled sounds of the creatures tore at Nate’s ears, although not with the intensity that it had when he stood in the treetops earlier. But for the insulation that the metal tube provided, Nate would have again been immobilised by their frenzied shrieks. The pipe shuddered as the beasts buffeted against it trying to get at their meal.

  Nate continued welding. He was halfway through the task when a claw protruded through the hole that Nate had cut. Without thinking, Nate flipped the laser cuter over again and slashed at the claw with a beam of red light. The severed claw fell into the pipe and clattered its way down the shaft. Nate heard a particularly shrill screech from the injured creature, and then silence. He quickly completed the weld and commenced his ascent back to the surface of Sultron.

  The toughest part of his mission still lay before him. He now had to penetrate Dargon’s lair, destroy the death ray and make sure that the plans were returned to the Confederation.. He was safe for the moment, but Nate couldn’t help but think that that was only temporary.

  Nate scrambled up the metallic pipe. It was just wide enough for him to stand in, but, because it ascended to the surface at a 45° angle, Nate found it much easier to move through the pipe on his hands and feet, rather than walk along it while upright. He moved along the tube quite rapidly with the assistance of the additional grip provided by his boots and his gloves.

  As he reached the top of the tube Nate came up against a large metal seal blocking his entrance into the Lisaurian’s compound. The ventilation shaft was sealed shut at the moment, mining having been suspended while daylight prevailed outside the dome.

  Nate checked his holograph compass to take his bearings. If he burst out of the tunnel into the middle of Dargon’s lair he needed to be sure that he could find adequate cover before he was spotted.

  Nate studied the holograph as it leapt out of the disk in front of him.

  The tunnel terminated in a heavy, metal seal near the edge of the area enclosed by the great dome shield. Beyond the seal Nate could see a holographic image of Dargon’s ship, together with a number of makeshift buildings scattered around the large compound.

  Nate reduced the resolution of the holograph and looked around the vent for any signs of life. The last thing he wanted was to survive a Sultronian sunrise and escape the perils of the subterranean forest only to walk into the hands of the Lisaurians as he emerged from the ventilation shaft.

  As he studied the holographic image before his eyes Nate was able to make out the shape of two guards patrolling the inside perimeter of the dome. He studied their movements for some time in an effort to determine when he could best escape the tube. The guards patrolled the edge of the dome in a precise, but predictable, manner: beginning at a point near where Nate hoped to escape from the shaft and enter the compound, they struck out in opposite directions around the edge of the large dome until they reached the limits of their assigned area. Then they turned and marched back again towards the ventilation shaft. Nate timed how long it took the guards to complete their sweep of the perimeter – 90 seconds, more than enough time for Nate to slip out of the shaft and find cover.

  Nate pressed his ear against the metal plate sealing the top of the dome and waited until he heard the guards’ heavy footsteps overhead. As the sound of their marching faded into the distance Nate quickly closed his compass and set to work with his laser knife. He made an incision into the black plate at the end of the shaft and continued to cut away at the seal until it came loose. He gently lifted the cover from its resting place on top of the ventilation shaft and slid it silently to one side. As he did so a stream of hot, moist air rushed into the shaft and hit him in the face. Nate gingerly peered over the rim to look for the guards. Just in time he saw one of them turn on its heels and begin the march back towards his position. He quickly dropped back into the pipe and slid the cover into position over his head.

  As he heard the guards pass overhead and away from his location, Nate again slid the cover off and leapt out into the facility. Hurriedly he slipped the black seal back into position and retreated to the shadows, looking for a better place to hide.

  In the distance Nate saw five or six metal containers scattered beside a particularly large piece of machinery. Each of the containers was about two or three metres high and just as wide, providing excellent coverage from anyone that might be passing by. He ran towards the containers and slipped silently behind the nearest one.

  If Nate had been relying upon his own speed to reach the container in time he most certainly would not have made it. He, of course, had the assistance of his suit as he rapidly, but quietly, ran over the floor of the facility to his hiding place.

  Nate crouched behind the containers wondering where to go next. He dared not use the holograph compass, it would surely alert the Lisaurians to his position. Suddenly, Nate remembered Farden’s warning: “The Lisaurians have very limited eyesight. They sense their prey from its body heat.”

  Nate glanced down at his hands. He was still wearing his gloves. He quickly activated his helmet, which slid silently into place over his head. Nate was now fully enveloped in his suit, which, if Farden was correct, would allow him to move around Dargon’s facility undetected, provided he did not come within the Lisaurians’ limited visual range.

  Nate slipped out from behind the containers in order to test Farden’s advice.

  “I might as well try it out when I only have two Lisaurians to contend with, rather than a whole battalion,” he though as he stood conspicuously beside the last of the containers.

  A Lisaurian guard marched slowly towards Nate’s position. As it approached Nate was able to make out the shape of a weapon hanging from the guard’s right shoulder. Nate could not see the guard itself very clearly, the dim, red light within the compound made it difficult to distinguish too many of its features. Generally, however, its overall shape was that of a giant lizard, walking upon its stocky, hind legs. Its head was large in comparison to its body, and it slouched forward as if struggling to support the weight of its oversized head. Nate held his breath and remained absolutely motionless.

  He watched from behind his helmet as the guard passed within 20 metres of him, seemingly without noticing him. Oblivious to Nate’s presence the guard marched on, met with his counterpart just beyond the ventilation shaft, spun around on its heels and began the next of many hundreds of passes around the perimeter of a portion of the great, black dome.

  Nate waited until the guard again passed by before looking for a better hiding spot. He needed a location where he would be safe if other Lisaurians
passed him by, a place where he could gather his thoughts and work out how he would retrieve the plans to the death ray. Nate edged along the side of the containers until he could no longer rely upon them for cover. Glancing towards the guards, he ran towards a large, strange machine just beyond the containers and took refuge behind the giant, greasy tracks of what was obviously a piece of mining equipment.

  Nate looked about. He saw the large dome stretching overhead. The surface of the great shield was a dull black, it was evidently able to stop the Sultronian heat from entering the compound. At the edge of the dome stood great towers, with massive rows of red, glowing heaters perched on top. Nate now knew the source of the heat that had hit him in the face when he had first opened the ventilation shaft. Had he not been wearing his full suit, Nate would have found the heat and the humidity with the compound overwhelming. Fortunately, the heat generated by the towers bathed the grounds in a low, red light that allowed Nate to distinguish the many objects and features within the facility, while also creating many shadows within which he could hide.

  Nate looked down and saw that he was not standing on the surface of Sultron at all. Beneath his feet lay steely sheets of black material, similar in appearance to the great dome that shielded its inhabitants from Sultron’s suns. The sheets upon which Nate stood were not slippery as he would have expected, they were corrugated with fine undulations that made it possible for Nate, and the Lisaurians, to walk easily on the artificial surface. “Of course,” realised Nate, “the whole operation needs to be completely sealed from the outside world. It would be just as bad if an acidic geyser erupted inside the dome.”

  Nate continued to look around the compound. The area inside the dome was littered with broken pieces of machinery and discarded refuse. The Lisaurians were clearly not a very tidy species. Beyond the untidy yard lay Dargon’s ship. It cast a frightening silhouette in the dim light. It was no less than 300 metres long and 50 metres high. Towards the front of the ship the bridge stood out above the ship’s sleek lines. An enormous bank of engines sat near the rear of the vessel, glowing a dull blue in the red twilight. The ship was dark and foreboding. Even from a distance, Nate could see the patches of oily, black residue that dripped down its hull. It bore battle scars in the form of scorch marks and gashes from innumerable hostile encounters with many enemies. If Dargon’s ship was the pride of the fleet, then it was clear to Nate that the Lisaurians took very little pride in their fleet as a whole.