Read Online Hellworld (Deathstalker Prelude) by Simon R. Green - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Simon R. Green
Tags: Deathstalker, Twilight of Empire
Ads: Link
be safe enough, provided they took reasonable precautions.
Krystel looked thoughtfully at the forest. The trees at the boundary had resumed their normal shape, but beyond them there was only a seething darkness. “I think we were lucky in there, Captain. The forest could have killed us all if it had reacted to us quicker.”
“It was asleep,” said Megan DeChance. “It had been asleep for a long time. We woke it up.”
Hunter looked sharply at the esper. Her voice was slow and slurred, and her pale eyes were vague and lost. She stood facing the forest, but her gaze seemed fixed on something far beyond. The Squad looked at each other uncertainly. Lindholm took her by the arm and shook her gently, but she didn’t respond. Hunter gestured for the marine to leave her be, and stepped in close beside her.
“It’s been asleep a long time,” said the esper. “Dreaming. Stirring occasionally as the world turned. It’s all been asleep….”
“What has, Megan?” asked Hunter softly.
“Everything.” Her eyes suddenly cleared, and she shook her head dazedly. “Captain, I… don’t know what I was picking up there. I was tapping into something immense, but it was so strange, so …”
“Alien,” said Investigator Krystel.
“Yes,” said DeChance, almost reluctantly. “I’m sorry I can’t be more specific, Captain. I’ve never felt anything like that before. I didn’t begin that trance; something called to me. Something … horrible.”
The simple loathing in her voice silenced the Squad for a while. Hunter was the first to pull himself together.
“All right,” he said briskly. “Keep listening. If whatever it was tries to contact you again, let me know immediately.” He looked away from the esper and scowled at the forest. If there was something out there watching for them, it might be best to provide it with a smaller target… or two.
He turned his back on the forest and addressed the Squad. “We’re going to split into two groups, people. The Investigator, Dr. Williams, and I will try the western route round the forest. The rest of you will follow the eastern route. Take your time, keep it quiet, and keep your heads down. Two small parties should be harder to spot than one big one, but only as long as we’re careful not to draw attention to ourselves. The two routes looked to be pretty much equal in length on the computer map, but the terrain is different; that could cause difficulties. Whichever group gets to the city first is to wait at the boundary until the other team joins up with them. That’s an order. DeChance, you’re in charge of your group. Remember, everyone, the purpose of this little trip is to gather information, not to take needless risks. All right, that’s it. Let’s go, people.”
The two marines nodded briefly, and then set off towards the east with Megan DeChance. Hunter watched the esper go, and frowned thoughtfully. He had no doubts about Lindholm and Corbie; they could look after themselves. But the esper … that last trance of hers worried him. She’d looked … different, out of control somehow, as though the contact had briefly overwhelmed her. He sighed quietly. The trouble with espers was that they were so damned spooky even under normal conditions, you couldn’t be sure if there was anything wrong with them or not.
It was asleep. We woke it up.
Woke what up? Hunter scowled. There were always more questions, and never enough answers to go round. Still, the odds were the city would change all that. One way or another. Hunter nodded abruptly to the doctor and the Investigator, and set off towards the west, giving the forest boundary a more than comfortable margin. Williams and Krystel followed silently after him.
Behind them, the forest moved through shape after shape, searching through memories of times long gone for one form it could hold to.
They walked in silence for the best part of an hour. The forest gradually began to settle back into stillness, and
Krystel looked thoughtfully at the forest. The trees at the boundary had resumed their normal shape, but beyond them there was only a seething darkness. “I think we were lucky in there, Captain. The forest could have killed us all if it had reacted to us quicker.”
“It was asleep,” said Megan DeChance. “It had been asleep for a long time. We woke it up.”
Hunter looked sharply at the esper. Her voice was slow and slurred, and her pale eyes were vague and lost. She stood facing the forest, but her gaze seemed fixed on something far beyond. The Squad looked at each other uncertainly. Lindholm took her by the arm and shook her gently, but she didn’t respond. Hunter gestured for the marine to leave her be, and stepped in close beside her.
“It’s been asleep a long time,” said the esper. “Dreaming. Stirring occasionally as the world turned. It’s all been asleep….”
“What has, Megan?” asked Hunter softly.
“Everything.” Her eyes suddenly cleared, and she shook her head dazedly. “Captain, I… don’t know what I was picking up there. I was tapping into something immense, but it was so strange, so …”
“Alien,” said Investigator Krystel.
“Yes,” said DeChance, almost reluctantly. “I’m sorry I can’t be more specific, Captain. I’ve never felt anything like that before. I didn’t begin that trance; something called to me. Something … horrible.”
The simple loathing in her voice silenced the Squad for a while. Hunter was the first to pull himself together.
“All right,” he said briskly. “Keep listening. If whatever it was tries to contact you again, let me know immediately.” He looked away from the esper and scowled at the forest. If there was something out there watching for them, it might be best to provide it with a smaller target… or two.
He turned his back on the forest and addressed the Squad. “We’re going to split into two groups, people. The Investigator, Dr. Williams, and I will try the western route round the forest. The rest of you will follow the eastern route. Take your time, keep it quiet, and keep your heads down. Two small parties should be harder to spot than one big one, but only as long as we’re careful not to draw attention to ourselves. The two routes looked to be pretty much equal in length on the computer map, but the terrain is different; that could cause difficulties. Whichever group gets to the city first is to wait at the boundary until the other team joins up with them. That’s an order. DeChance, you’re in charge of your group. Remember, everyone, the purpose of this little trip is to gather information, not to take needless risks. All right, that’s it. Let’s go, people.”
The two marines nodded briefly, and then set off towards the east with Megan DeChance. Hunter watched the esper go, and frowned thoughtfully. He had no doubts about Lindholm and Corbie; they could look after themselves. But the esper … that last trance of hers worried him. She’d looked … different, out of control somehow, as though the contact had briefly overwhelmed her. He sighed quietly. The trouble with espers was that they were so damned spooky even under normal conditions, you couldn’t be sure if there was anything wrong with them or not.
It was asleep. We woke it up.
Woke what up? Hunter scowled. There were always more questions, and never enough answers to go round. Still, the odds were the city would change all that. One way or another. Hunter nodded abruptly to the doctor and the Investigator, and set off towards the west, giving the forest boundary a more than comfortable margin. Williams and Krystel followed silently after him.
Behind them, the forest moved through shape after shape, searching through memories of times long gone for one form it could hold to.
They walked in silence for the best part of an hour. The forest gradually began to settle back into stillness, and
Similar Books
