Read Online Hostage To The Stars: A Sectors SF Romance by Veronica Scott - Free Book Online
Authors: Veronica Scott
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meat for dinner instead of those cold rations.” He cast an eye at the setting sun. “You rest and I’ll set up camp.” Taking the handlamp and tossing her the canteen, he walked past her deeper into the cave.
She pried the container’s lid half off when motion from the corner of her eye made her hesitate. A small flock of oddly menacing creatures were crawling into view on the boulder next to her. “Johnny? What are these?” She heard a strange buzzing sound as more gathered, clicking their front claws and curling and uncurling their arched tails.
“Stand absolutely still,” he said. “Rock scorps. They should be in deep hibernation at this season. Our amazing bad luck to find an active nest. Don’t worry; I’ll get you out of there.”
Unsure how much danger she was in but guessing from his tone the rock scorps were a threat to be taken with utmost seriousness, she followed his orders.
He moved toward her, motions smooth and flowing, keeping his attention on the creatures on and at the base of the boulder near her. Putting himself between her and them, he said, “Back up slowly.”
“Can’t you shoot them?” She forced herself to take one step and then another.
“The rocks in here have magtenatrite veins, blast’ll ricochet and kill you and me if I take a direct shot. We’re going to find another cave for tonight, let them have this one.”
“No argument from me.” She was even with the cave entrance and a moment later breathed a sigh of relief as she took two more cautious steps. “I’m outside.”
“Good.” He took a step to retreat.
Sara screamed as several of the creatures leaped from the ground, attacking his legs with their claws and arched stinger tails. He swept his own legs with a low blaster charge, swearing as he did so, and the scorps fell away from his body like charcoal hail. “Hit the dirt,” he yelled. In one continuous motion he dove sideways while sweeping the boulder with the blaster charge amped up full. True to his prediction the beam rebounded from the rock and streamed into the sky above her, where she lay prone, cheek pressed to the ground.
“Johnny? Are you ok?” She got to her feet but before she could take more than a step or two in his direction, she heard the blaster go off again and then he came staggering out of the gloom.
“What’s wrong? What happened?” she asked.
Leg bleeding, he limped toward her, the fabric of his utilities ripped below the knee. “I burned them all and the nest, didn’t see any more. Should be safe now.”
She cast a nervous glance at the recesses of the cave but then did a double take when she swung her gaze to Johnny. Pale, he was sweating, and leaned on the cave entrance wall with one hand. “You got bitten? Stung?” Putting her blaster away, she ran to his side, taking his weight as much as she could, while he leaned heavily on her.
“Twice,” he said as he eased onto the cave floor with her help, leaning a bit sideways against the rock wall. “Boots deflected a few but two found their mark. Might have burned my leg a bit too.”
“How bad is it?” He didn’t look good to her untrained eye. Sara stared at his torn, bloody left pants leg. “We—we better examine the bites, yes? Let me get the lamp so we can see.”
Not waiting for his consent, she ran for the handlamp. Behind her she heard fabric shredding and as she raced to help him, she saw he’d pulled his knife and was cutting the remnants of the scorched pants leg open. Flicking the light on, she gasped at the two ugly lacerations on his shin. As he’d said, the skin in the area also showed signs of a first degree blaster burn. His uniform must have provided a bit of protection. Sinking to her knees in the soft dirt, she clenched her fists. “Let me get the medkit and the water. I’ll have to wash those bites and put salve or something on the burn. How could you stand to turn the blaster on yourself?”
“Only way to kill them. Low beam. ” He
She pried the container’s lid half off when motion from the corner of her eye made her hesitate. A small flock of oddly menacing creatures were crawling into view on the boulder next to her. “Johnny? What are these?” She heard a strange buzzing sound as more gathered, clicking their front claws and curling and uncurling their arched tails.
“Stand absolutely still,” he said. “Rock scorps. They should be in deep hibernation at this season. Our amazing bad luck to find an active nest. Don’t worry; I’ll get you out of there.”
Unsure how much danger she was in but guessing from his tone the rock scorps were a threat to be taken with utmost seriousness, she followed his orders.
He moved toward her, motions smooth and flowing, keeping his attention on the creatures on and at the base of the boulder near her. Putting himself between her and them, he said, “Back up slowly.”
“Can’t you shoot them?” She forced herself to take one step and then another.
“The rocks in here have magtenatrite veins, blast’ll ricochet and kill you and me if I take a direct shot. We’re going to find another cave for tonight, let them have this one.”
“No argument from me.” She was even with the cave entrance and a moment later breathed a sigh of relief as she took two more cautious steps. “I’m outside.”
“Good.” He took a step to retreat.
Sara screamed as several of the creatures leaped from the ground, attacking his legs with their claws and arched stinger tails. He swept his own legs with a low blaster charge, swearing as he did so, and the scorps fell away from his body like charcoal hail. “Hit the dirt,” he yelled. In one continuous motion he dove sideways while sweeping the boulder with the blaster charge amped up full. True to his prediction the beam rebounded from the rock and streamed into the sky above her, where she lay prone, cheek pressed to the ground.
“Johnny? Are you ok?” She got to her feet but before she could take more than a step or two in his direction, she heard the blaster go off again and then he came staggering out of the gloom.
“What’s wrong? What happened?” she asked.
Leg bleeding, he limped toward her, the fabric of his utilities ripped below the knee. “I burned them all and the nest, didn’t see any more. Should be safe now.”
She cast a nervous glance at the recesses of the cave but then did a double take when she swung her gaze to Johnny. Pale, he was sweating, and leaned on the cave entrance wall with one hand. “You got bitten? Stung?” Putting her blaster away, she ran to his side, taking his weight as much as she could, while he leaned heavily on her.
“Twice,” he said as he eased onto the cave floor with her help, leaning a bit sideways against the rock wall. “Boots deflected a few but two found their mark. Might have burned my leg a bit too.”
“How bad is it?” He didn’t look good to her untrained eye. Sara stared at his torn, bloody left pants leg. “We—we better examine the bites, yes? Let me get the lamp so we can see.”
Not waiting for his consent, she ran for the handlamp. Behind her she heard fabric shredding and as she raced to help him, she saw he’d pulled his knife and was cutting the remnants of the scorched pants leg open. Flicking the light on, she gasped at the two ugly lacerations on his shin. As he’d said, the skin in the area also showed signs of a first degree blaster burn. His uniform must have provided a bit of protection. Sinking to her knees in the soft dirt, she clenched her fists. “Let me get the medkit and the water. I’ll have to wash those bites and put salve or something on the burn. How could you stand to turn the blaster on yourself?”
“Only way to kill them. Low beam. ” He
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