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Lpnet3 Sci-shorts-01
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| Lpnet3-100 Day of the Mystikon Chapter 1: The Martian Landlords Chapter 2: The Post Neutronic Era Chapter 3: The NYC and the EMDA Chapter 4: Stranded at Toyland Chapter 5: A Gem for a Raygun Chapter 6: An Isotope for an Engine Chapter 7: A Sublime Portent Chapter 8: A Hard Rain Chapter 9: Against the Wind Chapter 10. The Monster Tank Chapter 11: The Secret Agent Chapter 12: The NDX Unit Chapter 13: Fort Granite Chapter 14: Contact with the Natives |
Day
of the Mystikon
9. Against the Wind It was just 2 hours before sunset, when I drove the Zephyr into the park and parked in the clearing nearest the base of the bridge. It was all much the same as it had been before, only now I had the gun in my jacket and an iron horse to ride. I had something to eat, watched the sunset, and set up a tent, then counted the hours thru to the next day. Around 7 pm, the next day, as I sat on the same old rock and watched the river flow, the buzz-tone occurred again. It was louder this time, lasted longer, then faded, and changed pitch, and then it was gone. A minute or so later, I heard something behind me, turned to look, and there was Exo, with a semi-mirthful expression, standing over me. I quickly stood up, looked behind him, across the grove, and saw no sign of the transverser. “Where is she?” I demanded. “She is safe, in the transverser," he said. “I want to see her,” I demanded, “now.” “One minute,” he said. “First, we have our business to discuss.” I quickly took the laser-pistol out and aimed it at his chest. “No, Exo, not this time,” I insisted. “Either you let her go or I’ll put a hole in you!” He looked at the gun and stepped back, with wide eyes of surprise. “You see,” I said, “I picked up something from AB1. Now let her go or I’ll use it!” He nodded mutually, said, “Very well,” and disappeared. Before I could figure out where he’d gone, a strong hand grabbed my forearm and another snatched the pistol from my hand. He reappeared seconds later, turned about with the pistol, pointed it at me, and frowned. “You should know better, Ren!” he said, stressing my first name with angry disappointment. He looked at the pistol, and spoke to Xik over an intercom unit. A minute later, Xik appeared across the grove, walked to us, and Exo tossed the pistol to him, looking directly in my eyes. Xik examined the gun. “Crude,” he admitted, aimed it at the stone I had been sitting on, and fired the ray. It burnt a thin hole into the stone, and Xik went to take a look at the damage. Ten seconds later, he returned to Exo’s side. “As I said,” he reported, “Crude, but effective.” Exo looked hard at me. “Try anything like that again,” he said, “and we will dispose of you without delay.” I tried to retain my cool composure, to not let them impress me. “Okay, so you’ve got me,” I said. “But I still want to see Lisa before I do your dirty-work.’ Exo looked me over carefully. “Any more tricks up your sleeve?” he said. “Xik, check him over, while I keep him covered.” Xik did so, found the .357 magnum, took it away, and discovered my armor. “EMDA,” he reported. “4mxt, nothing we can’t handle.” “Very well,” Exo said, “but keep a close eye on him, just in case. Follow me, Ren.” I followed Exo across the grove, with Xik behind me. A minute later, he touched something in mid-air, and the valve-way to the transverser opened and the steps slid to the ground. Lisa was inside, locked to the seat against the wall of the midsection, suspended in fear. “Lisa, it’s alright,” I said, and sat in the seat beside her. “Who are you?” she said, showing only the slightest hint of recognition. “Ren, from 75,” I said. “Leo’s buddy, remember?” She looked at me oddly and frowned with fear again. “Ren? What do you want from me? Why am I here?” “Calm down, Lisa, I’m a friend,” I insisted, and turned to Exo, who stood watching us impatiently. “Does she have to be locked to the seat?” I said, on the immediate defense. “Hasn’t she had enough of Phobos yet? Let her go, I’ll keep an eye on her!” He spoke through the door to Xik, who was forward on the bridge. “Prepare to return to the base,” he said, and decided to comply with my request. “Just don’t try anything, or we’ll dispose of the both of you!” He went to the bridge and joined Xik at the controls. Minutes later, as I tried to sooth Lisa, we felt the vehicle lift into the air. I went to the doorway and looked at the forward screen. We were flying through the clouds, through physical space, to the Martian’s secret base, wherever that was. As we flew through the atmosphere at a high speed, I did my best to explain the situation to Lisa. “I still don’t understand,” she insisted, “why they want me.” “Because,” I explained, “they want me to work for them. If I do what they want, then they’ll let you go free.” “What do they want you to do?” she said, still uncertain, but seeking to solve it another way. “I don’t know yet,” I admitted, “but I probably wouldn’t do it for any other reason.” She looked at me oddly, still very uncertain about the strange experience. I was about to tell her about how much I had regretted losing her in 75, but we suddenly began descending, and I decided to take a look outside at where we were. I went to the door and looked ahead through the view-screen. There were the strata of hills against a body of blue water, and mountains on the other side of it. I held on tight as we swooped down over the lake and headed to the base of the mountains. My first guess was somewhere in northwest America, possibly even in Canada. Seconds later, we hovered slowly forward, over the edge of the lake, clipped the tops of some trees, and slipped down into a meadow, at the base of the mountains. As we landed in the tall grass just meters from the trees, Xik noticed me. “Stay in your seat,” he advised, “when we are in flight, or you might trip and hit your head.” If it weren’t Xik speaking, I would have thought he actually cared. Apparently, he did, but only because I represented something of value to them that they did not want damaged. At least not this early in the operation. |
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