Read Online Starship Tomahawk (The Hive Invasion Book 2) by Jake Elwood - Free Book Online
Authors: Jake Elwood
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the same kind. They're in perfectly straight lines. And there's nothing else growing here but grass. No underbrush." She pointed at the top of the nearest tree. "Plus, they're apple trees."
How do you know what kind of trees they are? A tree is a tree, isn't it? You can't know what kind it is. He didn't ask the question out loud. He could feel a hot flush spreading up his neck and creeping toward his face. He examined the treetop. Sure enough, he could make out little yellow orbs among the leaves. "It could still be dangerous," he said.
Gillett didn't speak, just raised a pale eyebrow.
"What if there are animals?"
"Animals, Sir?" She sounded like a parent trying very hard to be patient with a small child.
He shrugged irritably. "You know. Dangerous animals." The idea that he was making a fool of himself was rapidly becoming a conviction. He didn't know what else to do, so he said, "Bears?"
Her eyebrows rose a tiny bit higher. "I'm sure there are no bears on Ariadne, Lieutenant."
Nicholson lowered his rifle. After a moment he stood. "I grew up in Toronto," he muttered. "We have a few parks." He started walking. "No forests. And no orchards."
Feet rustled on grass as the others followed. No one spoke, but he could imagine their amused glances. His face, already warm, grew downright hot, and he walked faster, not wanting them to see his scarlet cheeks. I sure hope somebody starts shooting at us soon. I need the distraction.
The trees, he discovered, were laid out in a perfect grid. He could see now that they were in straight lines, like the intersections on a sheet of graph paper. His embarrassment increased. Never mind that. The Hive is on this planet. Focus. Lives are at stake.
The near wall of the crater loomed behind him. His assignment was to make his way across the crater floor, keeping out of sight, and gather intelligence. Above all he was to look for human survivors. They would be the best source of information.
The ground became rough, and the perfect grid of trees gave way to a jumble of rock with apple trees sprouting here and there wherever there was a pocket of soil. The ground rose, the trees ended, and Nicholson found himself climbing through a tangle of shrubs. He used both feet and one hand for as long as he could, then reluctantly slung the rifle across his back and used both hands to climb.
The ridge was no more than ten meters high, and the crest too choked with vegetation to offer much of a view. He unslung the rifle and kept watch as the others clambered up to join him. Then he slung the rifle again and clambered down the other side.
Some kind of crop grew on the far side of the ridge. Even Nicholson could see that the knee-high plants formed straight lines with dark furrows on either side. He had no idea what the crop was. The orchard was on flat ground, but this part of the crater was filled with low, rolling hills.
Gillett stepped up beside him, unslinging her rifle. "Is that a building?" She pointed.
Nicholson squinted into the distance. He could make out a dark shape poking above the corner of a hill a couple of hundred meters away. He took a binoc from his backpack and lifted it to his eyes. He zoomed in, watching the image jump and wobble despite electronic correction. He could see a flat rectangle, covered in green siding.
"It's a building, all right. I can't tell what kind. We'll check it out."
She nodded, and they waited while Hudson and Parrish clambered down the slope. Then Nicholson led them off in a curve that would put the bulk of a hill between them and the distant building. They paused in a sheltered hollow.
"Hudson," Nicholson said softly. "You go around the hill that way." He gestured to the right. "Parrish, you go the other way." He pointed left. "Gillett, you and I are going over the top. Stop and hold your position when you can see something."
They nodded. The other men moved out, and Nicholson started up the hill, Gillette a few steps behind him and off to one
How do you know what kind of trees they are? A tree is a tree, isn't it? You can't know what kind it is. He didn't ask the question out loud. He could feel a hot flush spreading up his neck and creeping toward his face. He examined the treetop. Sure enough, he could make out little yellow orbs among the leaves. "It could still be dangerous," he said.
Gillett didn't speak, just raised a pale eyebrow.
"What if there are animals?"
"Animals, Sir?" She sounded like a parent trying very hard to be patient with a small child.
He shrugged irritably. "You know. Dangerous animals." The idea that he was making a fool of himself was rapidly becoming a conviction. He didn't know what else to do, so he said, "Bears?"
Her eyebrows rose a tiny bit higher. "I'm sure there are no bears on Ariadne, Lieutenant."
Nicholson lowered his rifle. After a moment he stood. "I grew up in Toronto," he muttered. "We have a few parks." He started walking. "No forests. And no orchards."
Feet rustled on grass as the others followed. No one spoke, but he could imagine their amused glances. His face, already warm, grew downright hot, and he walked faster, not wanting them to see his scarlet cheeks. I sure hope somebody starts shooting at us soon. I need the distraction.
The trees, he discovered, were laid out in a perfect grid. He could see now that they were in straight lines, like the intersections on a sheet of graph paper. His embarrassment increased. Never mind that. The Hive is on this planet. Focus. Lives are at stake.
The near wall of the crater loomed behind him. His assignment was to make his way across the crater floor, keeping out of sight, and gather intelligence. Above all he was to look for human survivors. They would be the best source of information.
The ground became rough, and the perfect grid of trees gave way to a jumble of rock with apple trees sprouting here and there wherever there was a pocket of soil. The ground rose, the trees ended, and Nicholson found himself climbing through a tangle of shrubs. He used both feet and one hand for as long as he could, then reluctantly slung the rifle across his back and used both hands to climb.
The ridge was no more than ten meters high, and the crest too choked with vegetation to offer much of a view. He unslung the rifle and kept watch as the others clambered up to join him. Then he slung the rifle again and clambered down the other side.
Some kind of crop grew on the far side of the ridge. Even Nicholson could see that the knee-high plants formed straight lines with dark furrows on either side. He had no idea what the crop was. The orchard was on flat ground, but this part of the crater was filled with low, rolling hills.
Gillett stepped up beside him, unslinging her rifle. "Is that a building?" She pointed.
Nicholson squinted into the distance. He could make out a dark shape poking above the corner of a hill a couple of hundred meters away. He took a binoc from his backpack and lifted it to his eyes. He zoomed in, watching the image jump and wobble despite electronic correction. He could see a flat rectangle, covered in green siding.
"It's a building, all right. I can't tell what kind. We'll check it out."
She nodded, and they waited while Hudson and Parrish clambered down the slope. Then Nicholson led them off in a curve that would put the bulk of a hill between them and the distant building. They paused in a sheltered hollow.
"Hudson," Nicholson said softly. "You go around the hill that way." He gestured to the right. "Parrish, you go the other way." He pointed left. "Gillett, you and I are going over the top. Stop and hold your position when you can see something."
They nodded. The other men moved out, and Nicholson started up the hill, Gillette a few steps behind him and off to one
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