Sunlord (24 page)

The TX android cocked its ears but heard nothing over
the rumbling of machinery of a nearby rock crusher and the steady
overhead whooshing of passing jumpjets. Its heat sensors also
showed negative, but still something in its circuits suggested
something was nearby. Its synthetic leather boots squeaked as he
stepped forward, advancing upon the rows of crates preparing to be
loaded aboard a cargo ship.

His heart beating so loudly in his chest he feared
the Sunlord may hear it Ashian held his breath and did not move a
muscle or even attempt to peer over the top of the crate. He just
crouched, adrenalin coursing through his body, ready to flee at the
slightest of movements.

The TX android stepped five steps closer, then paused
to listen. Its ears filtered out the background noise, but still
there was nothing.

Ashian's eyes were wide with fear as he heard the
Sunlord approach once more. Ashian blessed the layer of grease upon
his skin for it seemed to be cloaking him, but still he wished for
a more tangible and reassuring barrier. Now the only thing between
him and certain death was a steel box. His large eyes rolled
upwards, his lips moving in silent prayer.

The android heard the small sound of air escaping
Ashian's lips, and moved immediately to locate the source. He
extended a powerful forearm and gripped the lip of a crate.

A sudden crash rang out, shattering the tension in
the air and drowning all other noises. There was a splintering of
glass and the groan of twisting metal girders, the air concussing
with the thump of exploding fuel. The next instant a huge angry
ball of flame erupted in the buildings, an expanding mushroom cloud
of yellow and black.

The android shifted its attention in a millisecond,
its eyes zooming to bring detail into clear focus. Two blocks away
a construction tower fell in a blast of fire and shattering
flexi-crete, pulling all neighbouring framework down with it.

The TX bolted, its deadly pistol drawn in a flash. It
ran towards the disturbance with a new prerogative, the thing
behind the crates forgotten. The dust was thick in the air, the
TX's running form moving so quickly it seemed almost
wraith-like.

Ashian jumped when he heard the collapse and heard
the stalking Sunlord break into a run. Relief flooded his mind and,
mounting shreds of courage, he peeked over the crate in time to see
a red clothed Sunlord disappear between inanimate machinery. The
forklift had stopped after moving out of the android's way.

But what had caused the explosion? The concrete
slabbing all around became pockmarked with small pieces of debris
raining down from the sky.

Ashian grinned from ear to ear as realisation caught
on. That must have been the 'distraction' Shaun had promised. He
straightened, his attention drawn to the open cargo hatch of the
ship. The forklift had also ground to a halt as emergency and
pursuit teams rushed past, multiple spotter jets and carrier craft
shooting overhead as Avatar switched into alert mode, drawing a
closing net that would surely catch the perpetrator.

The currach saw his opportunity and darted towards
the huge bulk of the ship. Without Capac's knife he doubted he
could break the vacuum seal on the crates, and even if he did he
wouldn't be able to fasten it closed again. His only chance of
stowing away was to get aboard while Avatar was looking
elsewhere.

Ashian ran as fast as his feet would carry him across
the open ground of concrete laying between the rows of crates and
the landing pad. His battered leather shoes skidded and slipped on
a puddle of oil and his face hit the ground. He skidded on one arm
then rolled to a stop, laying stunned for a second, recovering and
blinking his eyes.

A siren sounded, its wild keening wail growing in
loudness. Ashian realised it was an alert siren, and soon the area
would be crawling with armed Sunlords. As he picked himself up he
noticed the layer of grease had rubbed from his side where he had
skidded, leaving a black comma shape on the ground. With sudden
horror he realised he could now been seen by heat detectors on the
side where naked flesh showed. He picked himself up and sprinted to
the ship, doubled over to cloak his naked side.

The cargo ship was so large that it now covered the
sun above him, but Ashian took no notice of this. His eyes were
fixed on the ramp and the blackness of the interior.

He passed the landing legs of the ship, hurdling the
refuelling pipes that lay on the ground. The ship was so high off
the ground he could have run underneath its length and not been
able to touch its hull.

A second forklift emerged from the ship and trundled
down the ramp. Ashian caught himself from running out into its
path; a course that would lead him to certain death under the
corrugated tracks. He crouched in the shadows, breathing hard,
while the forklift moved away and sounds of activity grew louder
when trucks and emergency crew hastened to their command posts.
Ashian darted up the huge ramp that would have been broad enough
for fifty men to walk up abreast, the metal surface looked smooth
and polished yet coated in a substance that gave unbelievable
traction. The Currach made it up into the mammoth ship and ran into
the comforting darkness.

* * *

Shaun took a brief moment to watch the result of his
handiwork. The medic tank hit the fuel dumps as he watched and a
blast of hot air radiated. He grinned as he was forced to raise a
protective hand across his face to ward away the wash of heat. The
tank continued on its destructive path; inside two critical wires
were twisted together forming the circuit that drove the tank's
powerful engine forward with mindless vigour.

Not waiting any longer, Shaun darted around the
corner of a prefabricated Hartrias building.

Bringing him face to face with a startled guard.

Shaun reacted faster. His knife appeared in his hand
as if by magic, and the next instant it was planted in the
Sunlord's chest. The guard gasped, clawing desperately at the
dagger with its splayed six fingered hands, falling to the ground
soundlessly.

Shaun overturned the large carcass with his boot,
overcoming his disgust with curiosity. His survival instincts told
him to scavenge what he could. The communicator and relay device
clipped to an outside pocket caught his eye, and he stooped to
remove it. It would mean he could keep tabs on the Hartrias army's
movements if he could manage to figure out the codes. He also took
the heavy pistol from the guard's holster, knowing that the few
remaining rounds in his Auras rifle would not last long. Before
tucking it into the belt of his helicasuit Shaun turned the pistol
in his hands, realising it was in fact an Flailer - spitting bolts
of electricity instead of bullets. It was a crude weapon but would
have to do.

Behind him the last of the fuel ignited and thick
black smoke erupted into the air. Even the whipping wind did little
to disperse it.

Shaun ran, knowing if he stopped it wouldn't be long
before he was caught. He reached a small landing pad upon which
rested a yellow five-crew ship used in construction work. It was
squat and functional, its hull scratched and beaten but still
giving the impression of hardiness.

But what Shaun needed was a jumpship drive that would
take him halfway across the universe to the Federation. He just
hoped this craft had one.

The explosion had drawn the attention of the robot
sentries and he slipped past them easily. He beat at a panel on the
hull, triggering the opening of the door.

The robots heard the sound and swivelled with their
guns suddenly looking very menacing and deadly. A blast of laser
fire sizzled the air as Shaun clambered through the hatch, a wild
grin splitting his face. Blasts shot either side of his scrambling
form coming scant inches from disintegrating limbs. In seconds an
acrid smell permeated the air that made Shaun gasp and choke as he
darted aboard the ship and slammed his fist against the control
panel.

The hatchway slowly droned upwards and sealed closed.
By this time Shaun was already in the control seat and taking in
his surrounds. He confirmed that the controls were not unlike those
of the tank, and activated the engines.

The retro's whined into life and the craft shook. Its
hull was scorched as lasers and rifle fire hailed gouges into it.
Obviously the guards letting off all they had.

With a deep rumble the five seater ship rose in the
air; spiralling clockwise as the blasts drove into its flank. Shaun
pushed the power lever to its maximum and pulled back on the
joystick. The quickly blackening ship exploded into the air with a
guttural roar and a jet of fire in its wake, shooting almost
directly upward with its engine heaving. The craft was made for
strength, not speed, and as a result acceleration was frustratingly
slow. The huge engine lumbered like a bull as it picked up
inertia.

The engine spluttered abruptly as a bullet from the
robotic guards found its mark, severing a thick section of fuel
cables. A white jet of flame erupted as the fuel line burnt like a
miniature flame thrower for a moment before the auto-extinguishers
hissed into life, smothering the flame. Shaun held his breath,
urging the machine on. Shaun reactively ducked as an energy bolt
ricocheted off the tough viewport, leaving a large black smear and
warping the glass. The seat jerked violently as the craft flew
through the growing cloud of smoke and dropped through turbulences
created by the gunfire. The ship had lost considerable power and it
seemed the starboard engine was incapacitated. Only the straining
of the remaining thruster kept the squat craft airborne.

Then he was clear. The gunfire halted, and Shaun
realised he was away! He levelled out his flight as soon as he was
clear of the cyclone and dived to low altitude over the eloprin
forests to shake off any pursuers. The construction craft dropped
like a brick, picking up incredible speeds as it shot across
treetops.

Shaun took a moment to examine the ship he had
stolen. A long panel along the right arm of the chair showed the
jumpship drive he had hoped for was installed in the ship; almost
every craft in space had one - even a construction craft needed one
if it was to travel quickly and efficiently.

Shaun glanced at the navigation computer, a small
screen off to the left of the panel, and began tapping in digits on
the Hartrias keypad. The symbols and language were becoming second
nature to him now and a string of characters soon appeared.

The construction craft had no radar and so he was
taken completely off guard by the blast that almost tore the ship
in half. The horizon spun before his eyes as the ship spiralled
suddenly earthwards. Pulling back into consciousness and heaving
upon the joystick Shaun was able to righten the craft. He knew
immediately that attack craft were on his tail and within seconds
he could be reduced to ash by the powerful lasers. He had no time
to look around or to even think, he just acted instinctively,
knowing a second blast would not be long in coming. He slackened
power and the heavy engine whined down to a lower pitch. He shoved
the air brake plates open and slewed the craft around before
ramming on full power once more, pulling the nose vertically.

The stout craft ponderously pulled upwards, smoke
streaming from one engine.

His pursuers rocketed past as Shaun's manoeuvre
confused their targeting systems. Shaun caught a brief glance of
four streaking ships flash past below in attack formation,
recognising them immediately to be Sova-1 fighters. He had no
chance of outrunning them.

In the brief respite Shaun focused back on the nav
computer. If he could jumpspace out of here, he would be okay. All
he needed was a little time to program...

The Sova-1's looped and were suddenly bearing down
upon the construction craft, lasers blazing. Shaun did his best to
dodge the white-hot and near invisible bolts of energy that filled
the air around him. Without electro shielding he was a sitting
duck.

He plowed on the power again, but this time it was
too much for the massive engine. There was the tearing and
screaming of metal as the pistons seized up.

Shaun executed a tight turn, clinging grimly to
consciousness as blood rushed to his head. The craft fell heavily,
gaining speed with every second. Just as his vision was beginning
to fade he pulled out into level flight. At that moment the rear of
the craft bucked wildly as another blast found its mark. Damaged
beyond repair, the ship hesitated, twisted, then fell.

Shaun's efforts were futile. Grey rock streaked on
either side, details blurring with speed. He could not avoid them
in time, and the sides of the craft were battered like tin
foil.

Shaun beat against the keyboard to enter in the jump
co-ordinates. He had bear seconds before he hit the ground and all
was lost.

The nav computer beeped negatively, and Shaun spared
a glance at the screen. He caught his breath, his mouth falling
open when the screen showed a complicated tangle of blue lines
representing jumptunnels in the vicinity. He blinked, and out of
the confusion saw a pattern in the lines; they were all centred
about his location.

Normally jumptunnels were spaced hundreds of
kilometres apart in deep space, but here the computer said that
every cubic centimetre of air contained millions packed like
worms.

Shaun's mind was still spinning when the craft
brushed the tops of the towering trees. Branches caught and tried
to swipe the craft out of the sky like chubby children's fists. The
confusion of the jumptunnels was pushed to the back of his mind as
immediate survival took the fore.

The ground suddenly opened up beneath him, to be
replaced by white flecks of waves. Shaun realised he must have
flown over a cliff, and was now heading out to sea. He was exposed
at all sides.