the appropriate bootlicking in Smith’s tone. The skyman was scrambling to make up for his earlier mistake, yet if he truly wanted the lieutenant’s favor, he should have followed his orders in the first place. Was he really the best of what the New Dawn could offer?
Smith gestured to the pilot. “Langston’s going to fly us to the location, sir.”
“Very well.” Barliss nodded, slight as a blink of an eye. “Let’s get moving.”
The hovercraft lifted, spreading waves of sand out like a fan. Barliss held on tightly as the vessel propelled itself forward. Blowing sand stung his freshly shaven face as they moved at high speed, but he ignored the pain as he searched the horizon.
It took a sizzling fifteen minutes to reach the site of the strewn metal. Except for the presence of the debris, the terrain looked like the hovercraft hadn’t gone anywhere. Everything on the hellish planet looked the same.
Smith hopped out first, whipping out his metal detector to prove his findings. Barliss was second on the ground. His boots sunk in the sand as he gained his footing. The pilot stayed in the hovercraft. Langston backed away from the site to reduce the spray of sand.
“Right here, sir.” Smith waved the device over a heap of orange granules. The metal detector beeped.
Barliss nodded, but not in approval, only as a command. “Check it out.”
Smith got down on his hands and knees and dug into the mound. He pulled up a rectangular metal box filled with grit. Turning it upside down, he poured out the sand, then dusted off the cover panel.
“It’s a water locator, sir. One of ours.”
Barliss stumbled over, cursing as the sand sucked at the soles of his boots. “How do you know?”
“It’s inscribed with our symbol, sir.”
Barliss leaned down and ran his fingers over the scratched metal. Indeed, the symbol of the seventeenth-century ship was as clear as the replica on his lieutenant’s lapel pin and the embroidered insignia on the right breast of his uniform. It was one of their devices, and it was wrecked beyond repair.
“We still haven’t found her locator, sir.” Smith spoke in a soft voice.
Barliss turned away, clutching the broken metal in his hand. “Keep looking, Skyman. I’m going to get water.”
“Yes, sir.”
Barliss approached the hovercraft, feeling as though the sand sucked at each step he took. The pull of gravity and the heat threatened his composure, and he fought them like an enemy, pushing his boots through the sand.
Without warning, the sand erupted at his feet like fireworks. Six creatures leaped from the soil and surrounded him and Smith, blocking off their path to the hovercraft.
“Sir,” Smith’s voice wavered.
“Stay still.”
As the creatures held up their spears, Barliss reached for the laser in the holster at his side. He’d had enough of this godforsaken planet, a planet that exposed his weaknesses and had swallowed his bride-to-be whole.
“We shouldn’t interfere with the indigenous people.” Smith recited the Guide’s rule, as if Barliss weren’t already an expert.
“Just shut up!”
As the leader came forward, Barliss drew his gun and fired, sending the creature sprawling backward into the sand. The others scrambled into their holes like rats, hissing a warning sound. As they retreated, Barliss kept shooting, downing three more for sport before the rest could get away.
Pleased with his aim, Barliss looked to Smith for accolades, but the man didn’t seem to admire his conquest. He covered his head with both hands, wincing at the carnage. Poor guy’s got marshmallows for guts.
Barliss walked over to the bodies sprawled in the sand. Triumph overpowered his heart. Kicking one over, he bent down to look at the creature he’d defeated with one click of the trigger.
Crude animal hide covered its face, except for the eyes, which were hidden behind some kind of bone mask. Barliss pulled the mask up, wiping his fingers on his pants as if the corpse were
Smith gestured to the pilot. “Langston’s going to fly us to the location, sir.”
“Very well.” Barliss nodded, slight as a blink of an eye. “Let’s get moving.”
The hovercraft lifted, spreading waves of sand out like a fan. Barliss held on tightly as the vessel propelled itself forward. Blowing sand stung his freshly shaven face as they moved at high speed, but he ignored the pain as he searched the horizon.
It took a sizzling fifteen minutes to reach the site of the strewn metal. Except for the presence of the debris, the terrain looked like the hovercraft hadn’t gone anywhere. Everything on the hellish planet looked the same.
Smith hopped out first, whipping out his metal detector to prove his findings. Barliss was second on the ground. His boots sunk in the sand as he gained his footing. The pilot stayed in the hovercraft. Langston backed away from the site to reduce the spray of sand.
“Right here, sir.” Smith waved the device over a heap of orange granules. The metal detector beeped.
Barliss nodded, but not in approval, only as a command. “Check it out.”
Smith got down on his hands and knees and dug into the mound. He pulled up a rectangular metal box filled with grit. Turning it upside down, he poured out the sand, then dusted off the cover panel.
“It’s a water locator, sir. One of ours.”
Barliss stumbled over, cursing as the sand sucked at the soles of his boots. “How do you know?”
“It’s inscribed with our symbol, sir.”
Barliss leaned down and ran his fingers over the scratched metal. Indeed, the symbol of the seventeenth-century ship was as clear as the replica on his lieutenant’s lapel pin and the embroidered insignia on the right breast of his uniform. It was one of their devices, and it was wrecked beyond repair.
“We still haven’t found her locator, sir.” Smith spoke in a soft voice.
Barliss turned away, clutching the broken metal in his hand. “Keep looking, Skyman. I’m going to get water.”
“Yes, sir.”
Barliss approached the hovercraft, feeling as though the sand sucked at each step he took. The pull of gravity and the heat threatened his composure, and he fought them like an enemy, pushing his boots through the sand.
Without warning, the sand erupted at his feet like fireworks. Six creatures leaped from the soil and surrounded him and Smith, blocking off their path to the hovercraft.
“Sir,” Smith’s voice wavered.
“Stay still.”
As the creatures held up their spears, Barliss reached for the laser in the holster at his side. He’d had enough of this godforsaken planet, a planet that exposed his weaknesses and had swallowed his bride-to-be whole.
“We shouldn’t interfere with the indigenous people.” Smith recited the Guide’s rule, as if Barliss weren’t already an expert.
“Just shut up!”
As the leader came forward, Barliss drew his gun and fired, sending the creature sprawling backward into the sand. The others scrambled into their holes like rats, hissing a warning sound. As they retreated, Barliss kept shooting, downing three more for sport before the rest could get away.
Pleased with his aim, Barliss looked to Smith for accolades, but the man didn’t seem to admire his conquest. He covered his head with both hands, wincing at the carnage. Poor guy’s got marshmallows for guts.
Barliss walked over to the bodies sprawled in the sand. Triumph overpowered his heart. Kicking one over, he bent down to look at the creature he’d defeated with one click of the trigger.
Crude animal hide covered its face, except for the eyes, which were hidden behind some kind of bone mask. Barliss pulled the mask up, wiping his fingers on his pants as if the corpse were
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