Read Online Beyond Varallan by S. L. Viehl - Free Book Online Page A

“Monstrous.”
    For once I agreed with him. “You’re right, Squilyp. There were definitely monsters here.”
    Motionless, mutilated bodies littered the ground, dismembered body parts flung around them like parts of broken toys. Blood gleamed dark and wet. It was everywhere. Pooled under the bodies. Splashed over ruined equipment. Blended with the spilled fuel that oozed past our footgear. Blood that was red, like mine.
    There were no rescue efforts being made by the natives. No signs of life. Nothing moved but drifting smoke on a warm, fetid breeze. That came from the fires burning both around Transport and in the distance. A lone warning claxon echoed an eerie wail.
    I shifted my pack as I scanned the horrified faces of the medical team, then caught the boss’s eye. We often had moments of perfect empathy. This was one of them.
    Time to get busy.
    “Okay, people, we’ve got work to do,” I said. “Let's go over the plan one more time.”
    My announcement drew the team’s attention away from the massacre and jolted them out of their initial shock. Faces cleared. Backs straightened. Eyes sharpened. The Senior Healer took it from there.
    “We will set up our triage station where we find the highest concentration of survivors. I will see to the use of existing facilities. The Engineers will build a temporary hospital if necessary.” She turned to me. “Cherijo, your first priority is getting an area secured for the surgical cases. Squilyp, supervise triage until we can set up sterile fields. Let us make haste.”
    Whoever did this had no concept of mercy or surrender. All around us were the scorched scars left from heavy pulse fire and displacer blasts. What wasn’t burned was blown to rubble. I was so mesmerized by the widespread destruction that I stumbled over one of the bodies.
    Looking down, I bit my lip to keep from groaning.
    Up close, the inhabitants of this world were even more pitiful. Red-blooded mammalians, from the look of their furry bodies. They were smaller than me. Benign faces. Little muscular development.
    I remembered what Dhreen said. Easy takings . The butchers.
    “Over there,” Tonetka said, and pointed.
    Several small, fearful faces peeked at us from the shadows of a partially collapsed structure. As we walked, we kept our hands open to show we carried no weapons.
    “Where the hell is Reever?” I said under my breath.
    “He’s on the next shuttle. Keep a pleasant expression,” Tonetka said. “Smile, nod, beckon to them. It will ease their fear.”
    The survivors slowly crept out of hiding to get a better look. We stopped and stood still as they drew close. Tonetka spoke softly to them as her graceful hands moved in soothing patterns.
    “Come, we are friends, here to help you. Come, we have medicines, we will bind your wounds, we will comfort you.” She kept smiling as her eyes met mine. “Cherijo. You are closest in size to these beings. Approach one of them, very slowly, please.”
    I moved cautiously toward the largest one, who was only half my height. These survivors were a lot smaller than the other victims we’d seen.
    “Hi, there. My name is Cherijo. We’re here to help you.” I kept smiling. “Come on, I won't bite. I promise.”
    This one displayed an apprehensive smile and moved within inches of me. One small paw tentatively touched my blue tunic. I didn’t try to touch it, afraid it might scamper off. It turned its head and spoke to the others. Their native tongue was a rapid, uneven stream of throaty mutters and yips.
    “They sound like they’re growling,” Squilyp said.
    “No, look at their eyes,” Tonetka said, her voice still entreating and gentle. “They’re simply afraid.”
    The little paw trembled as it curled around my fingers. I caressed the silky fur.
    “So soft,” I said, then it dawned on me. “Tonetka. These are the children.” This one had a bad burn across the shoulders. “He’s wounded.” I took a scanner from my pack, very slowly,