Trial by Ice by Casey Calouette Page A

keeping things going.”
    “How do you fare, William?” Vito asked.
    “The other tent was swept away.”
    Vito looked away and nodded.
    A low whining hiss slid through the tent. Everyone’s eyes focused through the wall at the odd sound so alien to what they were used to hearing.
    “What is that?” Vito asked.
    “Hold breakfast and stay inside!” William called as he sprinted through the flap.
    Avi stood outside, relieving himself and looking off into the distance. “I think I see something.”
    “Get in!” William yelled as he grabbed him and ripped him towards the door.
    “Hey! I’m pissin—” William cut Avi off with a hiss and pushed him into the tent.
    The two fell into a heap and William slid off. “Something’s coming in, and fast, do you hear it?”
    The men sat up and, for the first time, reached for weapons. The whining grew louder through the chamber. Sebastien slid out from underneath his sleeping bag and edged near the wall. He hissed and raised a hand, demanding silence.
    William held his breath and waited. His heart pounded in his ears. He closed his eyes and focused on the sound. It was coming in from the south and was definitely growing closer.
    “The shelters are coated to prevent heat transfer and should offer no more reflection to a scan than a rock,” said Sebastien. He slid a hand onto the tent wall caressing it softly.
    “They could save us!” called out Grue.
    “Shut up!” Sebastien snapped back.
    Grue emerged from his sleeping bag and crawled forward, Private Nur close behind. Berry and James followed.
    “Don’t be stupid!” William hissed. “Stay!”
    “Damn you! We’ll freeze to death!” Grue clawed himself forward.
    Tero and Xan leaped onto Grue but Nur continued closer. His hands clawed into his webbing as he surged closer to the door. Closer to William.
    “Nur, get back,” William said through gritted teeth.
    “It could be a rescue team!” Nur yelled. His fingers fumbled and dropped a small smoke beacon. He stooped down to scoop it up.
    William drove a knee forward into Nur’s chest, connecting heavily with a deep thud. Nur pursed his mouth and dropped onto the floor, gasping. William grabbed the beacon and slipped it into his pocket. Corporal Berry and Daryll James both stopped moving and watched the door in silence.
    “If we miss this trip out…” Berry’s eyes were dark and simple in intention.
    William stared back and listened to the unknown visitor.
    “VTOL, an old one,” Sebastien said quietly.
    Eduardo nodded with closed eyes. “Rotors need balancing, is not Xeno enhanced methinks.”
    William wanted to open the door, he wanted to peek out and see what was outside. Was it really rescue? The answer came in a low burst.
    The dull sound of shelling from a heavy caliber autocannon silenced everyone. The shelling paused a moment and continued in a different tone, a different direction. It paused again and the whine moved further before the rhythm of violence began anew.
    William looked to Sebastien who shrugged in reply. The eyes of all the men were on William. Grue had ceased struggling on the floor and lay in silence. Nur finally caught his breath in shallow bursts. Violence was in his eyes as he stared at William.
    William ignored him and strained to listen to the dimming sound of the attacker. More shots echoed out into the crisp air before silence returned. The whining grew louder and the walls shuddered. It was coming closer.
    Nur raised himself off the floor. William slid his hand onto the cool frame of the pistol and drew it out in a smooth motion. The crisp black barrel pointed down at Nur.
    Nur paused and relaxed himself onto the floor.
    The whining was on top of them, harsh and grating. The tone changed and it slid away, growing dimmer. The whine turned into a hum and finally into the silence they had awoken to.
    William released the breath he was holding and returned the pistol to his pocket. His eyes drifted down to Nur. “Well, I think