He half pulled himself upright among the sprawling roots with his twitching arm.
I wanted to plunge that knife into his throat, rid the universe of him once and for all. But my heart sank in my chest, my eyes glazing in horror. Ships blitzed over the sky. I was lost in a daze. A dangerous one. Mong scrabbled before me, seeking escape, looking for some way to end this life, but I would not let him. I hopped back to tower over him with my weapon cocked. He croaked, wearing a grin of lunatic rage on his grime-smeared, blood-dripping face. “Do it, kill me!”
I shook my head and watched him crawl his way toward the cover of trees, like a sick animal that slinks away to die.
I heard the cries of animated figures through the screen of trees, snatches of dim conversations, shapes of villagers emerging with hoes and rakes and shovels, seeking vengeance on the one who had caused them so much misery. Doubtless they’d seen the smoking wreck of Mong’s flagship and put two and two together.
Wren lifted her R4 to go after him and finish him off, but I held her back. “Let the villagers have him. It’s a worse punishment than the quick death he desires.”
Wren lowered her gun and clasped me. “It’s about time for that holiday vacation. Didn’t you mention a spa on Palm Monterey?”
I held her close. I caressed her lovely, dust-filled, smoke-reeking hair. My eyes glazed over. “No beaches, Wren. Anytime. Nothing near water.”
She stared at me. “Okay.”
We both looked back with chill horror upon Mong’s retreating shape. The man’s psi power was flickering out fast with such grave injuries. A blank look of resignation had come over his face as he peered back. Not physical but spiritual. His confidence had withered, knowing his forces were being wiped out and his invincible fleet was teetering on its last legs. My pulse hammered. Revenge was here and now. And yet, such a bitter dessert. Why did it feel so cheap and savage? Being in those tanks and enduring Mong’s torture had opened me to a starker perspective of reality—it had given me powers as yet unexplored. True, my life as it was, would change. For better or worse? Who knew? Time would tell.
Villagers came plodding out of the dimness, yelling, gesticulating, a small army of them. Hundreds. Dust-streaked vindictive faces with eyes glaring in hate, following Mong’s slimy trail of blood. I shuddered to think what they’d do to him.
Wren and I looked to the sky, hearing the roar of Vendecki ships blitzing across the darkening dusk-blue followed by more skyslips of the Melinar guard. The Melinarians would not get their revenge today before these villagers took theirs first.
A vague unease stirred at the base of my throat. As Wren and I hustled off to find Grild, I could not dismiss Mong’s last grim warning of chittering Mentera skittering through the amalgamator and back to their dead power plant. Who after all, had let the flesh-eating crickets out of their cages? Maybe you need to clean up your mess, Rusco. If those crickety little bastard grasshopper fucks were to get one of their ships running...The disturbing thought faded and became but a grey smear on the fringe of my mind.
I shoved the worry aside, touched Wren’s shoulder as we loped through the darkening trees. Live today, Rusco. Live in the moment. Today the living is free and easy…
* * *
Thanks for reading! For more space adventure, read the ALIEN ALLIANCE series.
ALIEN ALLIANCE Box Set, innersky.ca/alliance
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Other books by Chris Turner,
Dragon Sea Chronicles
Avenger: a swords and skulls fantasy
Icarus
The Huntress of Caerlin
Beastslayer
The Dragon of Skar
Denibus Ar
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