Stratton nodded grudgingly, angry that he would be leaving his friend behind. “Martin is dying, sir. That creature gored him. He won’t survive more than an hour or two.”
“Is he conscious?” asked Novacek.
“Barely, but yes,” said Stratton.
“Then, have him carried outside. We’ll die together. I’m going to detonate all the cores.”
Stratton’s eyes grew large. “That’ll bring the whole mountain down.”
“Yup—seven minutes, Stratt. Go now!”
Outside, Novacek laid out the cores.
It wasn’t but a moment before two of the crew arrived, carrying Martin on a stretcher.
“Set him here next to me.” The crew set Martin gently down beside Novacek. Each of them took a moment to squeeze Martin’s hand, saying goodbye to their friend. With a glance at Novacek, they silently asked if he needed anything else. With a shake of his head and a smile, they departed, disappearing into the tunnel.
“Hi, Martin. I, uh—I could use a little company—it would be nice to have someone to talk to. We can buy some time for the others to escape.”
Martin understood Novacek clearly.
Martin looked over at the cores. “Our lives won’t come cheap.” Martin smiled, his white teeth gleaming bright against his dark skin. “The cores will take everything out within ten klicks! Maybe more. Is the boy safe?”
“I don’t know. Maybe a quick death is preferable to what that thing has planned for him.” Novacek’s icy stare froze the blood in Martin’s veins.
“You ever see the movie, Zulu, sir?”
“No, but I think I get the drift! How did it end?”
“The attacking forces gave up, out of respect! Think they’ll ever make a movie about us?”
“Like the world needs another remake,” said Novacek with a hint of a laugh. “Ready?”
“Yup.”
As Novacek punched in the code to overload the cores, a small, enemy transport ship screamed away into the horizon, vacating the area.
Novacek wondered, hoped, that Phillip was aboard it. “Martin?” The eyes of the two men locked in resignation as his finger hovered over the last number to be entered.
“Aye, sir. My African ancestors will be proud of the fight we have given them, as yours will be!” Martin’s calm tone sent an eerie chill up Novacek’s spine.
“It was an honor, my friend!”
Chapter 19
Out of easy earshot from camp, the Grays brought them to a halt. Ashlyn then shouted into Steven’s mind, Take the one behind you, to your right, now!
Steven spun, his right hand deflecting the point of the guard’s gun off to the side and down, as his left elbow gave a smashing blow to the center of the Gray’s face. The loud sound of crunching bone and cartilage was heard as his face caved in. In a single, pivoting motion, Steven took the gun out of his hand and did a diving, rolling somersault directly at the nearest guard.
A laser pulse skimmed his boot. Steven launched himself into the air, getting off at least eight shots before his feet hit the ground. The Gray in his sight fell backwards, one of his eyes—exploded.
As Steven whirled to locate Ashlyn, he saw that she had her Gray by the throat in an arm lock. Holding him high off the ground, Ashlyn used him as a cover shield. The fourth Gray tried to get a shot at her without killing one of his own, but the short, lanky Gray in her arms put up a good fight, and she was just barely managing to keep the squirming figure between them.
Steven dropped the Gray with the rifle where he stood, putting a pulse directly through his skull. Ash then twisted the neck of the one in her arms, letting him sink to the ground.
Ashlyn walked over and stepped on the neck of the still breathing but unconscious guard with the smashed in face. “That’s for the whipping, you bastard.”
Steven swallowed, shocked at the anger in her voice. He had not given consideration to the residual, emotional toll the beating must have taken on her. How Ashlyn could tell which one had whipped her, he had no idea.
“Quick, grab a weapon and one of the pouched bandoliers. We need to get out of here. I’m sure the other guards heard the shots.”
“What about Brummon?” Ashlyn asked.
Responding to her in his mind, Ash, use the meld to talk. Our voices will carry for kilometers out here. Brummon will have to wait. There are too many of them. We’ll keep heading toward the pyramid, same place the Grays are taking the caravan. We’ll get Brummon there.
Each of them grabbed a pulse rifle, and putting an arm through the bandoliers, slipped them over their heads.
With a quick glance between them confirming they were ready, they darted off into the darkness.
A kilometer later, starting to feel secure in their escape, Steven pulled out the alien’s water gourd. Taking a sip, he quickly spat it out. Salt water! So much for quenching our thirst. We’ll travel ‘til dawn, put some distance between us, in case they decide to follow at daybreak. If they do come after us, at best they won’t be able to spare more than three or four. The other guards will be forced to stay with the caravan, keeping the slaves moving. If we’re lucky, they may not even try to follow.
Navigating by the stars, Steven adjusted their heading, turning southwest.
Again searching through the pouches on the bandolier, Steven found the guard’s food pouch. He removed what appeared to be a piece of meat, similar to that of beef jerky. Nibbling at a corner, he found the distinct, teriyaki-like flavor pleasant, the moisture it provided pacifying. I think it’s Uttu meat.
Ashlyn rummaged through her pouches and found a small piece of oily cloth wrapped around something. Unfolding it, she discovered a necklace inside. The pendant on the necklace was actually a piece of green, brightly glowing moss. It’s the same moss we found in the river tunnel. The oil in the cloth must activate a light-giving ability.
Steven looked through his pouches to see if he had one. He found it quickly. It was about three inches in length and a half-inch thick.
Ash held it up. It illuminated a six-foot circle around her. Its eerie light magically transformed her angelic face into that of a ghoulish, green goblin. Boo-ooo-ooo, said Ash with a playful, warbled voice.
Her playfulness was so cute that Steven’s spirits instantly soared. You’re adorable, Ash—but that thing is like a beacon out here. The Grays don’t seem to need as much light as we do. To them, that’s probably like waving a floodlight,
Grinch, thought Ashlyn.
While walking, Steven decided to teach Ashlyn how to navigate using the stars. After a thorough explanation on the mechanics of star guidance, Ash repeated back to him what he had told her. She was a quick study and Steven had never suspected that the skill would someday come in handy.
Steven had become as comfortable speaking in the meld as he was using the spoken word. His biggest challenge had been to learn how to discipline his thoughts. He took pride in the fact that he was no longer inundating her with the ramblings of the male mind.
Ashlyn let him revel in his victory, not letting on about the flood of titillating thoughts that escaped him, sneaking through the veil, moment by moment. He had put her on a pedestal and she liked it. She found his desire for her intoxicating, flattering.
The pedestal upon which he had placed her, however, was no taller than the one upon which she’d placed him.
Steven and Ashlyn each downed two large pieces of jerky, ridding themselves of days of gnawing hunger.
They walked throughout the night, stopping an hour after sunrise beneath the shady cornice of a large dune.
Lying there, their days of torture and exhaustion overwhelmed them.
I love you, Steven.
You are my life, Ashlyn—now and forever, he returned.
Within moments, they were asleep. Ashlyn’s head lay atop his shoulder, her hand atop his chest.
Steven’s sleep was nightmarish; his dreams were of Ashlyn being beaten. It replayed an endless loop of tortured images mixed with h
is seething rage. His mind tore at the Grays, tearing them limb from limb by the thousands.
He awakened at sunset to the sound of soft hammering. His eyes opened to find Ashlyn staring at him, a smile on her face. Her beauty shone as the sun and his heart leapt with joy, an acknowledgement that his nightmare was over.
Ashlyn stepped aside, and with a curtsey, offered him a small spring of water.
“How?” He rose and headed to her.
“While you were sleeping I found the little hammering stone in one of the pouches. It didn’t make sense that they’d carry the stone and not the straw. I found it hidden inside a small tube that runs the length of the belt,” said Ashlyn.
“I guess we should have realized the Grays would all carry one. We just missed it in the dark.”
“By the way, there’s no Igigi trailing us. You can see for a good ten klicks from the top of the dune. It’s clear,” said Ash. “I guess they decided not to go after us.”
Steven knelt to drink, gulping heartily.
“Let’s stay here tonight and wait until morning to start walking. It’ll be good for me. And I’ll make it really good for you.”
Urging him to lie down, Ashlyn positioned herself atop him. Straddling his hips, Ash leaned forward and buried her face in his neck. She found a spot with her tongue that created a strong, tickling sensation in his lower back.
“Hmm, you like that!” she said, feeling his back arch and his chest tighten. “Wow, you really like that!” She felt giddy, knowing she had discovered an exploitable secret. “You’re like my own personal boy toy!”
Seven hours later, their cravings satiated, and their hearts content—they were again underway.
They traveled fast, taking advantage of their renewed strength. Conversation was kept to a minimum as they put all their efforts into covering distance.
As day turned into night and they trekked on, Ash spotted three crafts heading at high speed to the north, likely toward Sinai, the mountain refuge. They hoped that Phillip and the others were safe.
As the ships disappeared beyond the horizon, they felt a thunderous, pounding vibration beneath their feet. “Uttu,” Steven whispered, sheer habit making him use his human voice.
A minute later, it was gone, having ebbed away behind them.
We’ll have to be quiet, reminded Steven.
I guess that means no more screaming during sex? said Ashlyn back to him in the meld.
Yeah, you can’t do that anymore, said Steven.
I was talking about you, said Ashlyn with a small laugh.
An hour later, Steven stared heavenward to check his course by the stars and tumbled head over heels into a deep abyss. On the long slide down, as he fought not to lose his gun and gear, he was only vaguely aware of Ashlyn’s frantic scream to him within the meld. Steven, are you all right?
The tunnel leveled out, bringing him to a stop in total darkness. Yeah, I’m covered in their slimy lubricant. It’s part of the Uttu’s tunneling process. That explains why they need such vast amounts of water; they must burn through it like a steam locomotive. I’m just glad they aren’t excreting acid. They can probably turn the acid on and off as needed—depending on the strata they are burrowing through.
Do you think you can climb out? Ashlyn asked.
I can try. It was almost a free-fall at the top. In trying to stand, he found that the ceiling was too low to do so.
Steven, try using the moss, said Ashlyn.
Donning the necklace, Steven’s eyes soon adjusted, and he could see the sand walls around him.
Forced to hunch, he began to climb up. He had not gone more than twenty paces, before his ascent up the tunnel was so steep that each new step threatened to send him sliding back to the bottom again. It was like trying to walk up a mountain of ice.
You know, Ash—I think the slime is the only thing keeping the tunnel from collapsing. Two minutes later, Steven knew he was stuck. Every step forward took him one or more backward.
You can’t make it?
No. Silence, nothing but sterile silence. Ash? No reply came. Ash, where are you? Ash? Seconds passed. Ash! A rumble shook the ground for a few seconds, before fading away.
I’m here, Steven, I’m here. Her voice was hurried and alarmed.
What happened?
“One of the Uttu was sitting next to me. I didn’t even know it was there until I heard a faint snort, and when I looked over, he was sniffing the air. It was so close I could have touched it with the rifle. Then suddenly—just when I thought it had detected me, it turned round and left. And wow, can that thing move. By the way, the desert looks like a putting green up here; there are holes everywhere.
Ash—quiet for a moment. He listened, straining to hear. Do you hear it—the thrumming. It’s the Igigi. They are tracking us. It was their sonic device that scared the Uttu away from you.
You sure? I don’t hear it!
The tunnel must be amplifying it, replied Steven.
Then we need to get you out, Steven—fast.
He thought for a moment. You know, if there’s a lot of Uttu running around, their tunnels might intersect. With a bit of luck, I might find one that’s not as steep.
Or, you might get yourself hopelessly lost.
Me? I’ve got the directional sense of a snail.
A snail? she said with a hint of a laugh.
Yup, you ever see one that was lost?
They all look like they are lost! retorted Ash.
All right, Ash. I’m starting back down the tunnel. I’ll follow the left wall, making all left turns. Eventually, it should lead to an exit.
Steven, please be careful. Remember, you may not be alone down there.
Got ya!
Minutes later, he felt the vibration again. It was closer this time, much closer, but there was something different about it.
When his feet tingled, he knew what was happening. One of the Uttu was coming toward him. In the darkness, the vibration seemed to surround him. Sand loosened and fell in small clumps from the ceiling.
Steven, what is it?
There’s an Uttu in the tunnel—it’s coming—fast!
Fire the rifle, Steven. Fire now!
The vibration might bring the ceiling down, responded Steven.
Fire—fire now! Ash cried out.
He un-slung the rifle from his shoulder and took a knee. By the time he activated the energy cell, he could see the dim red eyes of the spider in the tunnel moving rapidly toward him.
A few clumps of sand gave way in the ceiling under the shrill, resonant vibration of the laser’s powered-up hum. He sent four shots down the tunnel, which brought a large batch of sand down on top of his shoulders.
With the visual effect of a strobe light, each burst brought the creature closer, just as each burst slowed its pace. The Uttu let out a long, blood-curdling shriek that seemed to echo forever, followed by a bellowing roar. The creature seemed madly determined to make him pay for his intrusion.
Their armor is crazy hard.
A shudder ran up Steven’s spine as he realized that in the world of the Uttu, he was the invader. He felt a twinge of sadness over the irony.
Steven, the glow from the moss illuminating him, raised his weapon into the air, holding it at arm’s length before him. A gesture of surrender.
The Uttu slowed to a stop and looked at him. What the Uttu thought of him, no one would ever know, but Steven understood that the Uttu was merely protecting his home. The two of them seemed to share a small moment.
The Uttu then gave a huff and a bellowing roar.
Steven, what’s happening? Ash called out as she felt the emotional rush of his sadness surging within him.
He was so caught up in the moment that he didn’t hear her. Slowly lowering the weapon, he placed it on the ground, letting go of it.
Steven, what’s wrong?—Talk to me!
Hold on a sec. Steven wasn’t sure if the Uttu was capable of understanding his actions—but he was listening to his
heart.
The Uttu bellowed an acknowledgment of Steven’s submission.
Then, slowly, the Uttu moved forward, coming to a stop in front of him. The Uttu extended a single, slimy leg toward him. It hovered a moment, then touched Steven on the top of his head. After a long moment, in a quick motion that startled Steven, the Uttu retracted its leg, and rolling over upon itself, headed back in the direction from which it had come.
The Uttu’s quick movement, however, was the final straw needed to bring the tunnel down. Steven turned quickly, trying to scramble away, but it was too late. He had only taken a single stride before the ceiling completely gave way, entrapping him. With his last free movement, Steven fought to form a small air pocket around his head.
Ash! The ceiling collapsed on top of me!
Ok, I’m coming down! Slipping the luminescent necklace around her neck, she peered over the edge of the hole.
Not four meters away, racing out of the hole, were the large, red, glowing eyes of the Uttu Steven had seen. Ashlyn dove aside just in time. That was close. Jumping in, she took a long, controlled slide to the bottom. Hold on—I’m on my way! Her voice was assuring, confident. Keep talking to me!
The weight is crushing me. I can’t expand my lungs.
Don’t stop talking to me, don’t stop! said Ashlyn anxiously.
Can’t breathe!
***
“Sir?” said Martin.
Novacek’s thumb eased off the last button.
“The crew needs you. Yours was the only voice of reason against that monster. I can do this! You go with the others!”
Novacek searched for the words that would keep him from abandoning his friend.
Martin saw Novacek’s inner struggle. “It’s all right, sir. I don’t feel the pain. I’ll give you to the count of 10!” He put his hand out, his trembling fingers asking Novacek to place his finger atop the last button.
“You’ve got the courage of a lion, Martin. You’ll run again. You’ll run at your ancestor’s side as they honor you for your bravery.”
Ashlyn Chronicles 1: 2287 A.D. Page 29
