by Art DeForest
After she took care of his cut, she sat down and looked at him consideringly. He watched her tentatively. “Well,” she said with a sigh. “I can’t say I would have done anything different if I’d seen my mom killed right in front of me.” She reached out and placed a hand on Alex’s arm. “I’m so sorry” she said, sympathy shining from her sad eyes. Alex just nodded. Tears once more threatening to overwhelm him.
They sat like that in companionable silence for a few moments. Finally Alex took a deep breath and said “Now what?” Keisha looked at him. Her bottom lip quivered slightly as she stared off into space for a long moment. “I need to find out what happened to Aunt Rose and Uncle Tyler. He felt a slight sadness as she sat back and removed her hand from his arm. “I’ve been worried sick but I wasn’t sure what to do. It’s not like I can call someone” she said, gesturing at the gloom around them. Alex nodded. “I’m making my way towards town. I hope I can find out what the heck is going on. With no power and zero communications I’m hoping to find some answers.” he said. Looking at him consideringly for a minute, she finally bobbed her head up and down. “That sounds like the best plan.” she said. “When do we leave?”
“W-we?” he said shakily. “You’re coming with me?” he asked. “Well of course I am!” she said indignantly. She bowed her head slightly and looked up at him through her eyelashes suddenly demure. “S-somebody needs to keep an eye on you. Y--you know for the concussion.” Alex stared at her for a moment as he rubbed the knot forming on his skull. “Well, that’s probably for the best.” he said, secretly thrilled to have the companionship. “It’s pretty hard going in places. I’ve been traveling overland to avoid any of those air patrols spotting me. I spent a lot of time hiding too. You’re okay living rough?” he asked. “Oh sure” she said. I’ve been camping and hiking with my family and friends my whole life.”
He glanced around the kitchen thoughtfully. “What about weapons? Are there any around? Can you shoot?” She looked down and to the side. “I c-can. I mean Uncle Tyler has taken me out, you know, target practicing. I’ve never killed anything though. I’m learning to save lives not take them.” Alex winced at her last words. “I understand. Believe me, part of me wishes that I’d never pulled the trigger. We have to protect ourselves though. We have no idea what these people are after.” he said vehemently. It was Keisha’s turn to wince. “I know” she said hurriedly, and I’m not judging. She put up her hands in a placating manner. “I-I’m just not sure that I can shoot somebody.” she blurted. Alex nodded knowingly. “I’ve been hunting all my life. I enjoy it. It’s part of our culture and it saw mom and me through some lean times. Shooting humans is a whole different thing. I’ve done it while in a rage and it gives me nightmares every night. I think I can kill when I’m not in a rage, if it's for a good cause. I’ll kill to protect the people I care about or to protect our planet from invaders. I’ll never enjoy it though. It feels like my soul has been bruised and battered. It’s not a feeling I look forward to repeating.
Keisha looked at this young man in front of her with new eyes. She was secretly prepared to think the worst of him after hearing about the slaughter he had wrought after his mother’s death, but she was starting to see that taking the lives of those soldiers affected him almost as much as losing his mother had. He definitely wasn’t a cold blooded killer as she feared deep inside.
“Uncle Tyler has a handgun and a shotgun I think, and he let me shoot a small caliber rifle of some kind at targets” she said. “Do you know where he keeps them?” Alex asked. Keisha led him to the master bedroom and pointed out the gun case next to the wall. Looking at the case Alex said, “Do you know where the key is?” Keisha retrieved the key from a drawer in the bedside table. Taking the key Alex opened the door. True to Keisha’s recollection there was a shotgun and a small 5mm rifle. In addition there was a long range particle beam rifle nestled securely in the case. Alex pulled it out, but as he feared it had no power. He looked in the drawer at the bottom of the case. Inside was a couple of capacitor packs for the particle weapon, spare ammo for the guns and a pistol in a holster. Unholstering it he gave it a quick once over. It was an old style 10mm semi automatic. These personal weapons were also quite popular with the colony program. “Can you use this?” Alex asked. She looked at him pensively, “I’ve shot it a few times. I’m not as good as my uncle.” she replied.
Alex ejected the magazine and locked the slide back, clearing the chamber. “Can you load this and show me it’s features?” Keisha arched one eyebrow staring at him with a smirk on her face. “A test is it?” she said, holding out her hands for the weapon and magazine. Alex smiled and handed it over with a nod. She pointed the pistol off to the side, inserted the magazine with a firm palm slap, pushed the slide release lever with her thumb and immediately engaged the safety. “You may not be very good hitting a target, but you definitely know what you’re doing.” Alex grinned. He handed her the holster saying “I hope you don’t have to use it, but better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it” Keisha nodded and took the holster somewhat reluctantly.
Alex salvaged extra ammo for the pistol from the drawer while Keisha situated the holster on her hip. Alex noticed she kept the gun cocked and locked. He shrugged mentally, safe enough for walking around he supposed. How you carried was kind of a personal matter.
After that Keisha packed up what she could carry in a back pack. Clothing and personal effects for the most part along with a little food. a sleeping bag was strapped to the pack’s frame and a canteen with strap was thrown over her shoulder. She also had a fairly extensive first aid kit that she kept in a fanny pack strapped around her waist, balancing out the pistol.
The sky outside was starting to darken at that point, so they decided to stay the night at Keisha’s aunt and uncle’s house before leaving fresh in the morning. As she knew where all the food and supplies were, Keisha made them a nice dinner of saberbuck steaks and roasted vella roots, grilling them to perfection over a fire built in the living room fireplace. While she did that, Alex got out plates and silverware and laid them out on the coffee table in the living room. A combination of candles and the light from the cheerily crackling fire allowed them to see dinner. It was almost too late when Alex realized their mistake.
7
They had just finished dinner. Alex found he was ravenous and his brain kind of shut down as he enjoyed his meal. He leaned back on the couch he and Keisha were seated on staring aimlessly at the fire when it hit him. “Crap!” he said leaping up. “ We have to put this fire out now! They’ll spot the smoke! He started to run to the kitchen for water, when he heard the telltale rumble of an approaching ship. “Too late!” he shouted. “Grab your things we’ve got to go now!” They reached their packs piled by the front door and desperately slung them to their backs. As Keisha got her pack situated and grabbed her canteen, Alex put on his pack and rifle and glanced out the front window. A spotlight shone brightly out in the field as the ship made its way toward the front of the house. “Out the back now! Make for the tree line as fast as you can.”
They sprinted for the trees at top speed as the spotlight focused on the front door. “You in the house, come out with your hands raised!” a huge voice shouted out through a PA system, the immense noise echoing off the hills either side of the narrow valley. Keisha made as if to stop, but Alex pushed her on. “Don’t stop.” he said “They’ll be starting a search pattern after the soldiers clear the house. We need to be far enough away that neither finds us “
They continued to pound through the trees, stumbling and falling occasionally as hidden tree roots grabbed at their feet and unseen branches slapped them repeatedly in the face. The loud voice repeated itself several more times before the illumination from the spotlight at their backs dimmed as the ship lowered into the yard. They were forced to slow down as the ground became treacherous leading up to the foothills skirting the valley. Alex led them into a narrow canyon running up between two hills. They kept
as brisk a pace as they could heading up hill. Alex was impressed with Keisha’s stamina, but they were both starting to slow down after that mad initial dash.
Finally Alex stopped so they could catch their breath. After a minute of heavy breathing, Alex pointed up the hill on the far side of the canyon.” We’ll cross the here and head about half way up that hillside. Searchers are more likely to be at the bottom or top of the hill if the ground troops even make it out this far in the dark.” he said panting for breath.
They quickly crossed the dry creek bed at the very bottom of the canyon and started making their way up the other side. “What about the ship?” Keisha wheezed as they made their way up. “Won’t they have infrared or something to see our body heat or whatever?” Alex nodded, “I’ve got something for that he gasped back. Just keep going.”
A short time later they came to a copse of trees and thick brush. Alex found an opening between bushes and began to squeeze his way in amongst the brush. Keisha followed along as best she could. They came to a roundish area of mostly clear ground in the center of the copse where a towering nearpine had cast enough shadow to inhibit growth near its trunk.
Alex quickly took off his pack and rifle. He laid out his sleeping bag on the ground near the base of the tree. “Take off your pack and get out your sleeping bag. Lay it next to mine. Between the insulation of our bags, the cover of the trees and the reflective surface of my camo cover I don’t think we’ll be seen by infrared.” Once keisha was in her bag, Alex spread his camo cover over both bags. He crawled into his bag and drew the cover over both of their heads. “We need to keep as much of us covered as possible. If we’re lucky, any heat signature we leave will be written off as that of a small animal or something.”
They huddled under the cover listening intently for the tell tale sound of the ship approaching. The now familiar rumble of a scout ship started a short time later. The glare from the search light came closer and closer in a back and forth pattern. Keisha snuggled closer to Alex’s chest, the curve of her back conforming to his shape as she huddled in an almost a fetal position. He could feel her trembling and longed to put a protective arm around her, but their sleeping bags prevented it.
Abruptly the light seemed right on top of them. It shined brightly through the cracks between earth and camo cover. They froze in terror . The light seemed to linger on their spot. Alex was almost sure they had been spotted. Keisha coiled in on herself further, becoming as small a package as possible. Alex thought his heart was going to burst from his chest it pounded so hard. Then, as quickly as it had come it was gone. The light and rumble began to fade as the search progressed further up into the mountains.
Slowly the tension eased and the muscles in their bodies relaxed. They remained huddled close together. Eventually, Alex heard Keisha’s breath become regular as she drifted off into sleep. Alex resolved to stay awake in order to keep watch. An hour or maybe it was one or two lifetimes crept slowly past as he tried to remainig vigilant. He heard the distant rumble of the ship as it seemed to head back towards the Wilson’s homestead. Then both Alex and Keisha jumped in startlement and shock as an explosion ripped through the night air destroying the Wilson’s homestead. Just as with his own home, the invaders had taken their revenge.
Alex could feel Keisha sobbing next to him. The whole event finally overwhelming her . Damning the potential consequences Alex pulled an arm out of his bag and put it around Keisha comfortingly, drawing her in close. He held her silently as her grief took it’s course. Eventually, even though he tried to fight it they both fell into an exhausted sleep.
The grey of first light was barely encroaching when Alex woke abruptly, chastising himself for having fallen asleep. He tried to slip quietly from his bag, but his movement aroused Keisha from her slumber. She rolled to her back, eyes fluttering open. “Good morning” Alex said tentatively. Keisha looked around in confusion for a moment. Alex could actually see when the events of the previous day came crashing down on her. Confusion became alarm briefly as she looked around, taking in her surroundings as Alex seated himself next to her. Her alarmed expression quickly resolved into an expression of sadness, but also somehow one of resolution as she met Alex’s gaze. “Good Morning” she returned bemusedly.
Alex finished getting up and went over to his pack. He retrieved a couple of protein bars and his canteen. Handing her the bars and the canteen he said “I’ll be back in a moment” Her eyes widened briefly in alarm. She blurted “Where are you going!” Alex smiled gently. “Relax” he said quietly. “Call of nature, I won’t go far.” Keisha relaxed back into her bag a little and started unwrapping a protein bar. “Hurry up.” she said, grinning a little. “Nature is calling me fairly urgently as well.” Alex stared at her before abruptly spinning around and walking quickly into the trees. “Damn” he thought. “She even looks good with bed head.”
He finished his morning ablutions quickly and returned to their hiding place. Taking a small kit out of her bag, Keisha headed off in a slightly different direction to take care of her own needs. Alex was just settling down onto his bag with a couple of protein bars of his own when Keisha’s soft but slightly panic stricken voice called out a little too loudly, “Alex, ummm help!” Alex scrambled up, grabbing his rifle out of habit. He moved quickly in the direction of her voice. A short distance from camp he saw Keisha facing up the hill at an angle away from their camp. Her pistol was out and pointed in a shaky hand towards a sabercat, crouched on it’s haunches like a kitten about to pounce on a ball of yarn.
A 120 kilo kitten with taut muscles, black fur and 10 centimeter long fangs that gave him his name. Silver tipped the fur of it’s shoulders and neck, indicating a mature male. “Wow” thought Alex. “How unlucky can we get!” Sabercats were rare. Due unfortunately to the fact that they had little or no fear of humans, viewing them as just another food source.
Alex jacked a shell into his rifle. The sound drew the attention of the cat to him briefly, but it quickly refocused its attention back on Keisha, as she was the closer of the two targets. Alex took two steps to the side to get a better angle on the beast and to take Keisha out of his line of fire as he quickly raised his rifle. The movement focused the ‘cat’s attention back on Alex. As his rifle contacted his shoulder the sabercat launched itself in his direction. The cat was too close. He was a blurring black spectre in Alex’s scope. He touched off a shot. The rifle bucked against him. The cat screamed in rage and pain as the bullet cut a crease along it’s front shoulder it wasn’t enough to stop his charge though. Alex reached for the bolt of his rifle, starting to jack another round into the chamber. He wasn’t going to make it!. CRACK, CRACK, CRACK! Keisha’s pistol barked in anger. The sabercat spun in place, biting and growling at its side, giving Alex the time he needed to get another shell in the chamber. The cat was thrashing on the ground, still trying to move towards Alex. With a quick twist of the wrist Alex lowered the zoom on his rifle and was able to make out the various parts of the animal. He quickly settled crosshairs on the beast’s neck. BOOM! The sabercat dropped limply to the ground.
Alex moved quickly to Keisha’s side. “Are you okay?” he asked. Keisha was still in a firm two handed stance, pistol pointed at the cat. Her eyes were as large as saucers. “I think he’s done” said Alex reaching up to place a calming hand on her shoulder. Keisha relaxed her stance and lowered her weapon. Making sure the safety was engaged she replaced it in the holster at her hip. She and Alex walked up to inspect the cat.
“Not very good huh?” Alex said, crouching down next to the beast. There were three holes in the beast’s side that he could have covered with his hand. They were placed just behind the sabercat’s front shoulder, any one of them would have killed the animal, albeit somewhat slower than Alex’s final high velocity shot had. Keisha grinned a little. “Well, I’m not as good as my uncle.’ she smirked. “Remind me to never piss off your uncle.” said Alex He looked up at her with a smile and a quick wink “Or you either, for that matter.”
Looking regretfully at the magnificent sabercat, Alex sighed. “ I hate to leave him just laying here, but someone might have heard those shots. We need to get out of here fast.”
Alex and Keisha ran back to camp and quickly packed up. “Let’s head up and over this ridge.” said Alex. “We’ll take the next gulch down to the valley floor.” He kept his camo cover out and folded on top of his pack, held in place by one elastic strap. That way it would be quickly accessible in case a scout ship got too close.
They huffed and puffed their way up the steep ridge. At the top, Alex took advantage of the high ground to look out into the valley. It widened abruptly just a bit downstream from their location. He could see the town in the hazy distance about 8 kilometers away. Looking upstream. the valley gradually turned from valley to wide canyon.
. Homesteads and cultivated fields were spaced about 2 kilometers apart, that being the basic allotment for steaders in the region. Some of the more prosperous steaders had occasionally bought out plots around them. Especially further down the valley where there was more arable land available. Up at the narrow end of the valley however, the one plot per steader program had held.
