Hunted by MJ Kobernus Page A

initiated by the bridge crew. They had
evidently committed mass suicide. Why they would do that became
apparent when the salvage team was attacked. Jensen had led the
survivors back to the airlock where the shuttle was docked, and Chu
had gone into the Argoss to defend the position, killing a
number of the creatures herself.
    It had not occurred to Chu that the mutants could
get inside the shuttle. That was when they lost the two tech-engs,
until the thing was brought down by Jensen.
    When Pål performed an emergency evac from the Argoss , she had thought they were finally safe. Except the
mutants fired proximity mines into their path. They had been
designed for clearing asteroids, but proved just as deadly to the
shuttle, knocking out the main drive, leaving the ship helpless.
The next thing Stephanie knew, they were dirt-side and she was
waking up with the mother of all headaches.
    A mumbled cursing caused her to spin around. The
only survivor from the salvage team was struggling with the
strapping that had kept him safe during their forced landing. One
arm had been gashed open by the mutant before it was killed, but
that did not appear to be bleeding anymore. Even so, Jensen looked
pale.
    “It’s okay,” she said. “You’re safe.”
    “Where are we? What happened?” He coughed and blood
flecked his lip.
    “We’re on Palsenz. Somewhere in the Badlands, I
think.”
    He snorted in dry amusement. “You and I have
different understandings of the word safe .”
    She nodded at the sentiment. It perfectly mirrored
her own thoughts. Although Palsenz supported a meager biodiversity,
the Badlands were different. Even from orbit, the Endurance ’s sensors detected strange readings from the
region.
    “We’re lucky to be alive,” she said. Jensen nodded
but looked unconvinced. Unspoken was the thought that although they
had avoided the frying pan, they might well be in the fire, as the
Badlands comprised a large area of blasted rock and desert with no
life and bizarre topography.
    But Stephanie Chu counted her blessings. If they had
crashed on any other planet in the system, they would be dead. The
gas giant was a raging storm of hydrochloric acid and the rest
ranged from impossibly high gravity to tiny, airless rocks. Not the
best place for a forced landing. At least Palsenz had air.
    “Here,” she said. “Let me help you.”
    She pulled the strapping free, and Jensen collapsed
into her arms, grimacing.
    “What is it?”
    “I don’t know,” he gasped. “My ribs . . .”
    He stood straighter as he got used to the gravity.
“I’m okay, really.”
    “Good. There’s a medkit on the bulkhead there,” she
pointed to a box fixed to the wall. “I need to check on the
captain.”
    As Jensen opened the medkit, Stephanie crawled into
the cockpit. Pål was still out, but unbelievably he was snoring.
Typical! She gently shook his shoulder. Then harder. “Pål.”
    “What?” His eyes blinked opened, after a moment
focusing on her. “Damn, you look a mess.”
    Stephanie chuckled. Her hand went to her long black
hair, matted with blood. Usually it needed careful control to stop
it from floating all over the place, but now it hung lank and
sticky against her scalp. No doubt she looked bad, but that was the
least of their problems.
    “I should take a look at that cut on your head.”
    “No, it’s okay. Check the comms, please Pål. We need
an evac off this rock.”
    “You sure? It looks nasty.”
    “It’s not bleeding anymore.” She gently touched her
scalp, then winced. It was not life threatening. It could wait.
    Knutsen hit the strap release on his chair and sat
up straight. He did not look any the worse for having survived the
forced landing. Stephanie felt a momentary irritation at that. His
blonde Nordic locks were not even mussed.
    “Assuming that the Endurance is in range
now,” he said, hands reaching out to flick switches, “it will take
a couple of hours at least before another shuttle can