respective prizes.
Once inside the Melville, Skyler punched the red button that controlled the cargo door and instructed Angus to lift off as soon as the rest of the team was strapped in.
“What about that monitor,” Sam asked, “in the conference room?” She held a tool belt.
“Forget it. The caps are running low.”
“The parts will fetch a good price.”
Skyler patted his jacket and smiled. “Nothing compared to—”
She punched the button to reverse the cargo door and ran off toward the observatory.
“Sam! Dammit.” He hit the communicator. “Angus, hold tight, Sam went back inside.”
His voice came right back over the speaker. “Kill the engines?”
Skyler weighed the options. The noise would only draw attention, but to spin them down meant spinning them up again, a lengthy process. He glanced at Jake and Takai, who both just stared back. “Keep them hot,” Skyler said to Angus.
“Yes, Captain.”
“Jake, can you cover me from the ramp?”
In answer, Jake picked up his long sniper rifle and removed the lens cap from the scope. Skyler wasted no time racing back across the clearing. Only when he passed through the fence did he realize he had left his machine gun in the Melville .
Before he could unholster the backup pistol kept on his thigh, Samantha emerged again from the building, arms wrapped around the large black monitor. Her face strained from the weight of it.
“Piece of cake,” she said.
“Except a lot heavier.”
She giggled. “Shut up and help me with this.”
With a quick laugh, Skyler grabbed the leading edge. He turned and started back toward the waiting aircraft.
Jake knelt on the cargo ramp. For some reason his rifle pointed well off to the side.
A plume of fire and smoke erupted from the muzzle of the long gun. A split second later the booming sound of the weapon reached Skyler, loud even above the Melville ’s idling engines. He felt his clothing pulse with the concussion wave. Birds erupted from the surrounding trees. Skyler glanced right in time to see a human form drop into the weeds and out of sight.
“Subs! Run!” Samantha shouted.
Skyler pumped his legs as fast as the weeds would allow. Patches of snow thwarted any hope for an all-out sprint.
He glanced right and saw two more subhumans loping toward them. The closest one ran hunched over, using one hand for balance. In the other hand it held a length of plywood. A club, of sorts. The one farther away had stopped. It coiled itself, preparing to throw something.
Another shot boomed from the plane. The rock thrower jerked and dropped to its knees, toppling over and out of sight.
The runner closed in on Skyler and Sam with terrific speed.
Skyler felt his grip on the heavy monitor failing. His gut told him to ditch the bulky device, then Jake’s rifle boomed again. Skyler glanced at the runner just in time to see it tumble into the weeds.
They reached the cargo door, Takai closing it the moment their Sam’s touched the ramp. The engineer gestured toward a blanket he had laid out on the floor. “Place it here,” he said.
Skyler and Samantha carefully lowered the screen onto the padded blanket and laid it flat.
“Secure it,” Skyler said to no one in particular, and tapped the microphone. “Angus, dust off, but keep it slow until we’ve got everything stowed.”
“Copy that,” he replied.
Skyler turned to Jake, finding him already in the process of breaking down his rifle. “Hey.”
Jake stopped and turned to face Skyler, rubbing his shoulder more vigorously now, the shoulder where he rested the butt of his weapon.
“Nice shooting,” Skyler said.
Jake shrugged. “They made it easy, running straight at you like that.”
Chapter Eight
Darwin, Australia
18.JAN.2283
The dignitary wore a perfect business suit and a false smile.
He slipped on the wet steps as he came down from the climber car, his grin faltering in concert with his balance. One hand shot out and found the railing just in
Once inside the Melville, Skyler punched the red button that controlled the cargo door and instructed Angus to lift off as soon as the rest of the team was strapped in.
“What about that monitor,” Sam asked, “in the conference room?” She held a tool belt.
“Forget it. The caps are running low.”
“The parts will fetch a good price.”
Skyler patted his jacket and smiled. “Nothing compared to—”
She punched the button to reverse the cargo door and ran off toward the observatory.
“Sam! Dammit.” He hit the communicator. “Angus, hold tight, Sam went back inside.”
His voice came right back over the speaker. “Kill the engines?”
Skyler weighed the options. The noise would only draw attention, but to spin them down meant spinning them up again, a lengthy process. He glanced at Jake and Takai, who both just stared back. “Keep them hot,” Skyler said to Angus.
“Yes, Captain.”
“Jake, can you cover me from the ramp?”
In answer, Jake picked up his long sniper rifle and removed the lens cap from the scope. Skyler wasted no time racing back across the clearing. Only when he passed through the fence did he realize he had left his machine gun in the Melville .
Before he could unholster the backup pistol kept on his thigh, Samantha emerged again from the building, arms wrapped around the large black monitor. Her face strained from the weight of it.
“Piece of cake,” she said.
“Except a lot heavier.”
She giggled. “Shut up and help me with this.”
With a quick laugh, Skyler grabbed the leading edge. He turned and started back toward the waiting aircraft.
Jake knelt on the cargo ramp. For some reason his rifle pointed well off to the side.
A plume of fire and smoke erupted from the muzzle of the long gun. A split second later the booming sound of the weapon reached Skyler, loud even above the Melville ’s idling engines. He felt his clothing pulse with the concussion wave. Birds erupted from the surrounding trees. Skyler glanced right in time to see a human form drop into the weeds and out of sight.
“Subs! Run!” Samantha shouted.
Skyler pumped his legs as fast as the weeds would allow. Patches of snow thwarted any hope for an all-out sprint.
He glanced right and saw two more subhumans loping toward them. The closest one ran hunched over, using one hand for balance. In the other hand it held a length of plywood. A club, of sorts. The one farther away had stopped. It coiled itself, preparing to throw something.
Another shot boomed from the plane. The rock thrower jerked and dropped to its knees, toppling over and out of sight.
The runner closed in on Skyler and Sam with terrific speed.
Skyler felt his grip on the heavy monitor failing. His gut told him to ditch the bulky device, then Jake’s rifle boomed again. Skyler glanced at the runner just in time to see it tumble into the weeds.
They reached the cargo door, Takai closing it the moment their Sam’s touched the ramp. The engineer gestured toward a blanket he had laid out on the floor. “Place it here,” he said.
Skyler and Samantha carefully lowered the screen onto the padded blanket and laid it flat.
“Secure it,” Skyler said to no one in particular, and tapped the microphone. “Angus, dust off, but keep it slow until we’ve got everything stowed.”
“Copy that,” he replied.
Skyler turned to Jake, finding him already in the process of breaking down his rifle. “Hey.”
Jake stopped and turned to face Skyler, rubbing his shoulder more vigorously now, the shoulder where he rested the butt of his weapon.
“Nice shooting,” Skyler said.
Jake shrugged. “They made it easy, running straight at you like that.”
Chapter Eight
Darwin, Australia
18.JAN.2283
The dignitary wore a perfect business suit and a false smile.
He slipped on the wet steps as he came down from the climber car, his grin faltering in concert with his balance. One hand shot out and found the railing just in
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