be struck by a crossbow bolt fired from above. Throckmorton whirred low overhead, trying to drag the mantis back towards the acid wagon.
More screams were coming down the gorge – far more monsters were on the way. Snapper gunned down one as it clawed at a fallen wagoneer, then drew her sword and crashed into another that was ramming past the wagon. Onan bit into the monster’s flank. Snapper struck the beast a massive blow and Onan leaped back, shaking gore from his beak.
“Back! Hurry!” Beau and Kenda were already leading the retreat, speeding off downstream. Snapper whirled Onan about and seized the mantis by one of her four arms, swinging her up behind Onan’s saddle. “Is the bomb ready?”
“It might be!”
The numbing sound of the next wave of Screamers was almost deafening. Snapper jabbed Onan with her heels, and the bird sped off down the creek. “Time to go! Run run run run!”
Musketeers blasted a volley and fled back in panic past the acid wagon. Snapper, Kitt and Throckmorton came last, speeding down the gorge and flashing past the bomb wagon. The men ahead were fleeing wildly away, some hurtling aside their guns in panic.
Two hundred metres back, Beau’s budgerigar had chosen this exact moment to buck and whirl around and around like a mad thing. The man held on in terror, squawking as he desperately tried to get the beast under control.
More Screamers came thundering about the creek bed – a dense mass that screeched in deafening, maddened rage. Two hundred metres behind the acid cart, Snapper turned Onan about and lunged behind a rock. The Screamers were a black mass of claws, tentacles and shrieking death ripping their way past the acid wagon.
“Kitt – blow the wagon!”
The mantis took the best aim she could and pulled the trigger of her plasma gun. The weapon fizzed and sparked, burning Onan’s tail. Kitterpokkie hammered madly at the gun, cursing in a most unladly-like way.
“Sodding thing!” She shook the rifle and pulled hard at the trigger. “The power leads are wet!”
“Kitt! The wagon!”
“I’m trying!” The power lead abruptly fell out of the rifle butt. “Oh bugger!”
“Kitt!”
The creek bed was choked with monsters as fifty Screamers – each a mass of fangs and foaming rage – clambered over and around the acid wagon, clawing along the gorge walls. The first few had leapt past the wagon and were already charging downstream. Snapper hefted her carbine, but the cylinder was empty. She scrabbled for a spare, and almost dropped it as Onan slipped and slithered in the mud.
Trapped atop his panicked budgerigar, Beau had drawn his pistols. He fired in the air, trying to bring his mount to heel. The bird instantly stopped whirling around and took off at blinding speed – straight towards the monsters. The fox-pheasant jounced wildly on the bird’s back, his last pistol flailing back and forth. He sped past a Screamer as it lunged and missed – past another – then suddenly the pistol went off in his hand.
The bullet cracked into the acid crystals that now crusted the wagon’s sides.
The whole world seemed to take a breath.
The explosion lifted the entire bottom of the creek. The steep banks bowed – water flashed – and then the wagon, Screamers and surrounding creek blew apart. The shock was so swift that men blinked and almost missed it. Debris flew with shocking speed. The entire Screamer horde abruptly disappeared. Water, mud and rock channelled by the high banks flew in a shockwave down the creek, slamming into Onan, Snapper and Kitterpokkie, tumbling them over in the muck. Throckmorton tumbled through the skies, whirling end over end. The banks of the gorge collapsed, deluging everything with mud.
Ears ringing, Snapper struggled up out of the creek.
Beau still sat on his budgerigar, blinking. Mud completely sheathed him from head to foot – mud mingled with Screamer guts and gore. The plumage on the back of his head stood straight backwards,
More screams were coming down the gorge – far more monsters were on the way. Snapper gunned down one as it clawed at a fallen wagoneer, then drew her sword and crashed into another that was ramming past the wagon. Onan bit into the monster’s flank. Snapper struck the beast a massive blow and Onan leaped back, shaking gore from his beak.
“Back! Hurry!” Beau and Kenda were already leading the retreat, speeding off downstream. Snapper whirled Onan about and seized the mantis by one of her four arms, swinging her up behind Onan’s saddle. “Is the bomb ready?”
“It might be!”
The numbing sound of the next wave of Screamers was almost deafening. Snapper jabbed Onan with her heels, and the bird sped off down the creek. “Time to go! Run run run run!”
Musketeers blasted a volley and fled back in panic past the acid wagon. Snapper, Kitt and Throckmorton came last, speeding down the gorge and flashing past the bomb wagon. The men ahead were fleeing wildly away, some hurtling aside their guns in panic.
Two hundred metres back, Beau’s budgerigar had chosen this exact moment to buck and whirl around and around like a mad thing. The man held on in terror, squawking as he desperately tried to get the beast under control.
More Screamers came thundering about the creek bed – a dense mass that screeched in deafening, maddened rage. Two hundred metres behind the acid cart, Snapper turned Onan about and lunged behind a rock. The Screamers were a black mass of claws, tentacles and shrieking death ripping their way past the acid wagon.
“Kitt – blow the wagon!”
The mantis took the best aim she could and pulled the trigger of her plasma gun. The weapon fizzed and sparked, burning Onan’s tail. Kitterpokkie hammered madly at the gun, cursing in a most unladly-like way.
“Sodding thing!” She shook the rifle and pulled hard at the trigger. “The power leads are wet!”
“Kitt! The wagon!”
“I’m trying!” The power lead abruptly fell out of the rifle butt. “Oh bugger!”
“Kitt!”
The creek bed was choked with monsters as fifty Screamers – each a mass of fangs and foaming rage – clambered over and around the acid wagon, clawing along the gorge walls. The first few had leapt past the wagon and were already charging downstream. Snapper hefted her carbine, but the cylinder was empty. She scrabbled for a spare, and almost dropped it as Onan slipped and slithered in the mud.
Trapped atop his panicked budgerigar, Beau had drawn his pistols. He fired in the air, trying to bring his mount to heel. The bird instantly stopped whirling around and took off at blinding speed – straight towards the monsters. The fox-pheasant jounced wildly on the bird’s back, his last pistol flailing back and forth. He sped past a Screamer as it lunged and missed – past another – then suddenly the pistol went off in his hand.
The bullet cracked into the acid crystals that now crusted the wagon’s sides.
The whole world seemed to take a breath.
The explosion lifted the entire bottom of the creek. The steep banks bowed – water flashed – and then the wagon, Screamers and surrounding creek blew apart. The shock was so swift that men blinked and almost missed it. Debris flew with shocking speed. The entire Screamer horde abruptly disappeared. Water, mud and rock channelled by the high banks flew in a shockwave down the creek, slamming into Onan, Snapper and Kitterpokkie, tumbling them over in the muck. Throckmorton tumbled through the skies, whirling end over end. The banks of the gorge collapsed, deluging everything with mud.
Ears ringing, Snapper struggled up out of the creek.
Beau still sat on his budgerigar, blinking. Mud completely sheathed him from head to foot – mud mingled with Screamer guts and gore. The plumage on the back of his head stood straight backwards,
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