I hope so, Snimel retorted, but what of the Vybber forces?
The bowman shrugged. We have patrols out, he said. The remains of New Seattle is occupied again but they aren't in this valley yet.
Clay and the three crucnon continued on to the caves. DPF officers were everywhere and large yellow arrows attached to the limestone walls directed them to the infirmary. After twisting and turning in narrow tunnels lit by weak electric bulbs, they came into an immense natural cavity, so large the floodlights tied around stalactites hanging like icicles out of the inky darkness only created circles of light on the crumpled dust below. Voices and other sounds echoed and reechoed to create an eerie rumble of vibrating sounds in the still warm air. When they reached their destination white uniformed nurse directed Bikut to one of a line of iron beds, all empty and ominously waiting for future casualties.
Just lay down, she ordered and pulled back the sheets. It looks as if the medics up at the border did a good job at patching you up but we'll have another look, shall we?
I don't want to stay in a bed, Bikut replied with a defiant tone. I want to help, not just lie around.
The nurse smiled. Fine, she replied. I'll get the doctor to examine you and we'll see. The nurse glanced at Clay and Wunep. If you men don't mind leaving us for a few minutes, we'd like to give your friend a thorough examination. She turned to Snimel. You can stay and assist if you wish Ms ...
Trati, but call me Snimel. I would like to stay with Bikut, thank you.
The two males, one Crucnon and one human grinned, said brief good-byes and walked away as the nurse pulled a folding partition across and helped her patient out of the tight body suit. This was the first clicker she had ever examined but she never once showed more than a professional curiosity as she examined the deep wounds scouring Bikut's back.
These are more than wounds from fingernails, she commented.
They had claws, Bikut whispered and stared at Snimel. They were not like us. At school we were told pulgibr were our natural enemies but nothing else... Her face contorted into a scowl.
Yeah, Snimel, who had sat herself on the end of the bed, interrupted, but we were also told humans were our enemy with rat faces and stinking skin. I believe our teachers hid the truth from us in just about everything.
But these creatures are hideous, Bikut shuddered and spoke in her own language so she could express her innermost feelings to her friend. She gave described the flying females who had attacked her in minute detail. The mere sight of them terrified me. They seemed utterly without remorse, she concluded in a hushed voice. I don't think the Commander or Proctor Jurjevics really believe me.
They do, Snimel fixed her friend with an affectionate look. That, I am sure of and because of you, there will not now be a surprise attack. We are all proud of you.
Bikut nodded but her face remained serious as she stared into the darkness above the lights. She doubted if even these caves would save her new human friends from the debacle she was sure would arrive.
At fifteen hundred hours, exact to the second, the invasion began. Flying females in waves of ten, like gigantic arrowheads with a leader followed by two behind, three and finally four, pounded the human camp with firebombs. Following waves flew in at exactly three-minute intervals. Their navigation was exact and the forest burst into flames with clouds of dirty brown smoke curling into the air. By the fifth wave, there was little else to hit so the road above and below the camp was fire bombed. Fifty-three DPF bowmen and officers on the surface at the time were killed but one thousand, three hundred other humans were safe in the caves thanks to the advanced warning of one lone flying female crucnon.
At sixteen hundred hours the Pulgibr army crossed the border in a pulsing mass of moving bodies. The border hut disappeared in an explosion after only one round was fired from the cannon of the armored vehicle grinding up the slope. But no defenders were in the hut. Twenty engineers hundreds of meters up each side of the valley had connected the charges, set timers before they sneaked along ridges into the forest from where they could see the valley below. At sixteen hundred and ten hours the mountainsides blew. A faint rumble of the initial charge echoed through the valley but this was only the forerunner for the main explosion.
When it came, even the human engineers were amazed by the power of the lines of explosives. Thousands of tons of rock and soil shot hundreds of meters into the air before dropping back into the steep valley below. The ruptured ground groaned and cracked while both hillsides shook in an artificially induced earthquake. Cracks appeared below the forest floor and two mountainsides moved. The momentum was slow at first but the built up until millions of tons of rocks, forest, soil and snow cascaded into the valley below.
After the debris, smoke and clouds of dust cleared there was neither valley nor front line as the enemy army, including dozens of armored vehicles were buried. Commander Evans grunted in satisfaction when he studied the devastation with his field glasses. The army behind the landslides ground to a halt. Thousands had been buried alive but he only had to shift his view a few degrees to see into Pulgibr territory. Tens of thousands of the creatures were there, every bit as bad, if not worse than Bikut had warned. The landslides had slowed the invading army but the Commander Evans doubted if it would stop them.
There is little more we can do here, he observed. I want three bowmen to remain as observers and the rest to return to the caves with me.
I'll stay, Lieutenant Jay Johnston volunteered.
Right, Toby Evans replied. Pick two of your best signal officers and don't show yourselves. The enemy are deadly accurate with their weapons. He grimaced. Take care, Lieutenant. We cannot afford to lose officers of your caliber.
I shall, Sir, she answered in a whisper.
She glanced down through the trees at the enemy that were already attempting to find a way up the wall of rock and slush. Two lines of marchers zigzagged relentlessly forward, higher and higher up the dangerous slopes. Many fell but the creatures appeared to have little regard for life. Fallen foot soldiers were ignored and replaced as the front moved forward. In half an hour they had already reached half way up what would normally be an impregnable slope.
Further down, motorized vehicles with steel blades in front were smoothing a trail in the rock but were being hindered by slushy mud than flowed back over every spot they cleared.
Well, That's something, I guess, Jay snorted. She turned to the bowman next to her. Signal that the enemy will be at the base by eighteen hundred hours, she ordered. I suggest the entrances are blown and the settlers retreat back to the lower caves.
They were running late but at five hundred and twenty hours, the fully laden FanWarrior rose above Hanger Base Beta with Holly at the controls and her companions seated in the cockpit; George had moved a fifth seat between the two rear seats so they could all be together.
Altitude is a thousand meters, Plato announced after the aircraft shot vertically up at a speed that left the passenger's gasping and their stomachs still catching up.
Follow the New Columbia River inland and search for a large group of humans. Holly directed as she cast a nervous eye over at Jaddig who was sitting in the copilot's seat.
The terms of reference are unknown, the computer replied. Please make a grid reference on the on the monitor map.
I guess many of the places weren't named when the FanWarrior was mothballed, Graham suggested from the navigator's seat behind Holly's. He stared at the monitor in front of him; identical to the pilot's but three times the size. All the physical features of the land they knew were shown but no towns or roads. That's the New Columbia, he muttered and ran his finger along the map.
Grid reference; Latitude, north forty eight degrees, sixteen minutes; Longitude, one hundred and forty one degrees, Delpe measurement which is ninety five point five three percentage of Earth size with a variation of... the computer responded.
Okay, Graham interrupted. Follow the river from the west to north east.
Confirm please, Holly, Plato responded
Orders confirmed, Holly grinned back at Graham while the computer reeled off another complicated report that she couldn't understand about speed, altitude and velocity in comparison with relative fuel consumption, the temperature and weather conditions.
Oh My God, she hissed as she stared outside. The wing panels slid over the interior propellers, there was a rumble from the rear and they began to accelerate forward.
Lightshield engines engaged and forward thrust begun. Estimated time of arrival will be five minutes after sunrise at ground zero, the computer reported
The humans and even Jaddig who had, of course experienced being above rather than on the Earth, stared out the windshield at the world below. The eastern horizon was red and yellow above the still hidden sun while, ahead, millions of lights lit up the landscape.
Our country, Jaddig commented without emotion. Those big squares of concentrated light are the cities. To the west is the ocean She pointed at some red lights bobbing in the distance. That'll be a ship of some sort. She swung around. That darkness ahead will be the forests we traveled through in Charlie.
The mountains, Suzi gasped. I never dreamed I would ever look down on mountains.
And you're the scientist, Jaddig laughed.
In front, the mountains almost glowed as their snow-capped peaks reflect the dawn light. Everything looked a peaceful fairyland rather than the real world. Stars above the mountains seemed to switch off as the black sky changed to gray above a slither of silver bound by electric lights that stretched across their view.
The New Columbia River, I believe, George commented.
Do you wish to save the name New Columbia for the river at latitude...
Yes, Holly replied. Please start searching for humans.
The only warm-blooded creatures in range are farm animals, Plato reported. The FanWarrior shall change course in two minutes to follow the New Columbia upstream.
Five minutes later the scene below differed. A mountain valley appeared with a line of flickering orange light stretched across it in a crescent.
What is it? Holly asked and glanced at Jaddig but it was Plato who replied.
There is a large forest fire and the residue of explosive material present. The heat being discharged interferes with the aircraft's infrared body seeking material. Will switch to movement mode, if you wish.
What will that do? Holly asked.
Record all movement of creatures below?
Do it? Holly replied.
In the vicinity of the forest fire, grid reference, the computer rambled on. There are seventeen thousand, four hundred and twenty three living creatures. They are concentrated at grid points...
It was Suzi who paled. How many? she asked.
Seventeen thousand, four hundred and twenty three.
What species are they? she continued while the others stared at each other with mystified faces.
Do you require a view of a specimen?
Yes, Suzi answered.
Immediately, three of the monitors in the cabin flickered and a moving picture replaced the map. A creature dressed, like Jaddig in a body suit appeared. It was walking along a road in front of burning pine trees. For a second Holly thought it was a clicker until the light was adjusted and the creature turned and stared directly at them.
Oh hell! George muttered. The view was the same one Bikut had seen the afternoon before. Huge antennae flickered and mandibles crunched into something the creature was eating.
The hands! Holly gasped. Look at the hands.
Four claws twisted and ripped into what looked like a small forest creature.
Jaddig paled. I think I know what that is, she said. It's a native of Pulgibr. She stared at her companions, and I believe that is what my ancestors were like before we had human D.N.A added to our genes.
Suzi grimaced. Of course, she exclaimed. That would fit into my theory.
But what are they doing in that valley? Graham asked.
The creature on the monitor stopped and stepped back as a vehicle even larger than Charlie drove by.
Bloody hell! George snapped. That thing has a gun on it. That's an army on the move.
But it's in New Washington, Suzi added after she checked another monitor that lit up the creature's position on a contour map of the area.
A different species has been sighted, Plato reported in his usual monotone and the scene changed to show the more familiar armed crucnon soldiers.
The two species are five kilometers apart with a range of hills between them, the computer reported. At their present speed, the two species in motorized transport should meet within forty three minutes.
But where are the humans? Holly gasped.
There are three in the vicinity of the first species, Plato reported.
Show me, please. Holly ordered.
The vision changed once again and a human woman appeared. She was standing on a hillside gazing at the valley below through field glasses then, like the first creature they saw, she turned and appeared to gaze directly at them.
Oh My God! Holly gasped and flung a hand up to her mouth as if she couldn't believe the view. That's my mother!
But where are the others? Graham asked.
My sightings are visual only, Plato reported. Creatures, indoors or underground cannot be seen using the present equipment.
So the humans could be in a cave? Suzi asked.
That is possible. Short-range detectors will be able to confirm or deny their presence in six minutes when life within two hundred meters of the surface will be registered in a radar probe. Live visions at this depth are not possible
The FanWarrior continued it's silent flight while the anxious passengers waited. Time seemed to slow and every minute felt like an hour until three minutes later when, the vision of the Proctor faded and was replaced by a sweeping band of light and a droning noise. The tone changed to a sort of echoing whistle that became louder as the six minutes grew closer.
Ten seconds beyond the set time, an elongated patch of light showed on the screen and the whistle turned to a high pitched hum. Confirm the presence of approximately one thousand and eighty two creatures eighty four meters inside the mountain at grid reference... Plato reported.
Holly bit on her lip and smiled up at Graham who reached forward and clasped her shoulder while George chuckled and slapped Suzi, none too softly on the back.
Only Jaddig continued to stare miserably at the monitor. But They're squeezed in between the two armies, she whispered. How can that have happened? My people and the Pulgibr are enemies. They would never cooperate to hunt down humans.
A subdued silence filled the inner caves as hundreds of settlers lined up in their sections for breakfast. Clay, allocated to Section 17, carried a four year old while his mother, a young widow of one of the DPF bowmen killed in the initial attack, walked behind with a baby in her arms. Powdered milk had been mixed in large stainless steel vats and rationed to children and pregnant women while eggs and bacon, the usual settler's breakfast, were now restricted to the injured and elderly. Everyone else had to make do with wheat cakes, dried fruit and one mug of coffifake.
How long can we hold out, Sergeant, the widow asked. We can't live in here for ever. There is no food, no grass for the horses and our other animals were left behind. Her sunken eyes gazed hopelessly at the white dust that covered everybody's feet and legs. I never asked to be born on this planet. Why are we being treated as aliens?
Clay glanced down at the woman and wanted to reassure her but how could he? Everything she said had played on his thoughts throughout the night. Perhaps Holly Jurjevics managed to get through, he said in a kind voice.
Pipe dreams, Sergeant, the woman sighed. Even if she did, how would she find us here deep underground with not one, but two armies hell bent on killing us. What hope is there for my little ones with no father to come home to? Her face clouded over. We had everything, Sergeant Farrell; a small farm half way between the
river and New Seattle, two gorgeous children; Brett had just bought twenty more dairy cows and our house was complete. But what is there, now?
Don't give up, Clay replied. We have friends who can help.
A handful of renegade clickers, the woman replied bitterly. With all due respects to the ones who brought you back, but I doubt if they can do anything. Her eyes turned angry, and why should they? We have absolutely nothing in common.
But we have, Clay Farrell whispered, Far more than you think, Ma'am.
Their line had reached the serving counter so he helped the child in his arms get breakfast, escorted the woman to a table, found a highchair for her infant and excused himself. Though the woman had his sympathy, her attitude somehow annoyed him. He must have looked dejected for at the cafeteria door a small hand slipped in his while a second grasp his lower arm. Bikut was beside him.
I overheard your conversation with that unfortunate woman, Clay, she said quietly. Are we so different we can never be friends?
We are friends, Clay retorted with anger in his voice. You are my friend and shall remain so.
You aren't just feeling sorry for me? Bikut sighed.
Suddenly Clay's tanned face broke into a smile. No, he replied and squeezed her hand.
An hour earlier, high above the ridge that separated the two valleys between New Seattle and the border a patrol of two women sat perched three-quarters way up a giant oak tree. A tiny platform had been constructed between the split in the trunk and crude but comfortable seating provided in Observation Post 217.
Corporal Sheree Gilmore handed the field glasses to her companion, Bowman Deanne Hilton and snorted. You won the bet and I owe you twenty dollars. They are not friends.
Deanne placed the glasses to her eyes and focused on the road summit between the valleys. Here in the predawn twilight the troops of Vybber and those of The Confederation of Pulgibr met. The stalemate of the last hour had ended and the converging armies both retreated across but not down the ridge. A cloud of smoke rose from a cannon and the distant report ricocheted through the air.
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