Sandcats of Rhyl

Sandcats of Rhyl by Robert E. Vardeman Page A

Book: Sandcats of Rhyl by Robert E. Vardeman Read Free Book Online
Authors: Robert E. Vardeman
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little, in fact. Besides, if the geo-survey of this place is accurate, nobody’s tracking us by that. Here, let me find it.” His stubbier fingers worked over the keys on the computer until the mineralogical study slowly paraded on the tiny screen.
    “There. See it, Rod? There’s enough low-grade thorium ore in the sand here to block any residual radiation leaking off the atomic pile.”
    Nightwind nodded and said, “And with the lightning storm going full blast, no radio communication’s going to work if they put a tracking bug on us. No chemical sensor could sniff us out; the wind would blow the traces away. Looks like they have to keep us in visual sight or flat out guess where we’re going.”
    The pair was silent for a moment, each lost in private thought. Nightwind finally said, “Be sure your blaster is in good working order, Heuser. I think they’ve guessed where we’re heading.”
    “I get the same answer, Rod. With the force dome up, they couldn’t visually track us even if the weather was clear. They probably did a quick computer search and got a probability report on our most likely destination. With a rock formation like Devil’s Fang so prominent, it didn’t strain their imaginations any guessing we were going there.”
    “Right. Let’s get some shuteye. It’s going to be a long day.”
    Nightwind felt the dim, shrouded figure closing in on him. The darkness should have been his ally. Now it conspired to trip him, to allow the others to find him. A hand on his shoulder produced an instantaneous response. A smooth motion pulled his needlegun out of its holster. His finger was just about to close the trigger contact when he saw it was Richards beside him. For a long moment they stared at each other.
    “You’re sure dangerous wakin’ up, Nightwind,” said Richards. His pinched features betrayed the fear at seeing the barrel of the needlegun aimed directly between his eyes.
    “Bad dream. Sorry. Thought
they
were after me.” The weapon vanished as swiftly as it had appeared.
    “They?” Richards asked suspiciously. “Is this one of your usual dreams or something brand new?”
    “New,” admitted Nightwind, pulling himself erect in the tiny bunk. He stretched like a cat, flexing his muscles, forcing circulation back into cramped muscles. He saw Heuser was already up and “vacuuming” the cabin with the sand-sucker. The cyborg was treating the device as if it were a living being, talking to it, cajoling it, even stroking its snaky length.
    Richards looked upset at the answer.
    “What’s wrong, PR? Aren’t we supposed to dream out in the desert?”
    “Nothing, I don’t suppose. But,” he paused, “but them’s the kind of dreams my old man had before the ‘cats got him.” He fell silent for a heartbeat, then continued, “I been checkin’ around outside with the sensors. I think the ‘cats were watching us last night.”
    Heuser overheard and laughed. “In that storm? Nothing could have been out in it. You said so yourself.”
    “No human, little man, no human. The sandcats aren’t human. Times I don’t even think they’re real. Until they kill. This is their country from now on, and we’re the intruders. You, Nightwind, you keep that pop gun of yours handy. It won’t stop a sandcat, but it might scare the critter a mite.”
    Heuser and Nightwind exchanged glances. The guide was serious. Serious and frightened of the sandcats. Nightwind shrugged slightly. He had confidence in his weapon. It could blast through a ten-centimeter-thick plate of Ultimate Strength Steel in less than a second. Nothing made of flesh and bone could withstand the condensed energy beam.
    “Warning filed away to be acted on when necessary, PR. What’s the plan for getting to Devil’s Fang?”
    “First, we get out from under a couple tons of sand. Strap in. We blast our way out.”
    Nightwind had barely jumped into the chair and fastened the cross-harness when Richards’ finger stabbed down on the

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