Chapter 30

Igwanda's reaction was instantaneous. Even as the burly native leaped forward to grapple with him he was bellowing "suits!" at the top of his voice while his hand shot down toward his laser. Akakha tried to block the movement by wrapping him in a bearhug, but he simply shrugged off one restraining limb to complete his draw while muttering the keyword that activated his own electric charge. He tried to repeat his call for suits, but two heavy blows to his back as knives fell and were blunted by his clothing knocked enough breath out of him to turn the cry into a croak.

But the electricity served its purpose; Akakha and another native that had also tried to seize him were thrust away violently, colliding with several of their fellows as they fell and momentarily clearing the area immediately around him. He made sure it stayed that way with several quick but careful laser shots at short range. Meantime he marginally heard Zo's suddenly urgent voice over the communicator, but ignored it to focus on what was happening all around him.

The scene was appalling. Every human was under attack, although of different sorts. Knives were being wielded viciously at each of his troopers, but the natives seemed content only to wrestle the scientists. There was no longer any need to call again for suits; all three of his soldiers plus Meiersdottir and Smith were now echoing his cry, and he could see the results as their own power fields activated with natives virtually flying away from them. Zo's voice continued to sound in his ears, but he had no time to listen; "Later, Zo," he snapped and began to focus on dropping those natives who still appeared to pose a threat.

No human was entirely down, he quickly saw, although Dzenda had been forced to one knee. She had also somehow lost her laser, which was being pointed at her by one of the aliens. That was of no concern—the weapon was useless in non-human hands—but he surgically lopped off the native's arm to make it easier for her to retrieve it and help in the defense. He turned away quickly. She would have to fend for herself from there; his mission was to protect the civilians. As the clamor in his ears from Zo's communications ceased, he took a fast count and found his total one short; one scientist was not in view. But there was a busy clot of natives near the doorway moving to exit the building...

He dropped two with rapid shots and got a glimpse of a human in their midst. Of his troopers, van Damm was closest. "Carol!" he called. "Door!" As she responded he aimed two more laser shots at the natives closest to it; their fall slowed, though it didn't entirely stop, the group's progress toward the exit, and then van Damm was there with her electrified clothing hurling the natives away.

The shock also dropped the encircled human like a stone, though, which told Igwanda that this one's clothing had not been activated; if it had it would have served to ground its wearer. Van Damm had to stoop to pick up the fallen scientist actually in the frame of the doorway, and as she did she raised her head to check around, lifting her helmet shield and exposing a small area of her throat.

Which was where the native spear struck.

She gave one violent heave, dragging the scientist back inside, and then fell. Ahlia, closest to the scene, leaped forward to pull them both back into the structure, but the spear lodged in van Damm's neck wobbled unpleasantly as he did so.

Igwanda's eyes scoured the interior which, he abruptly realized, was considerably better lit than before. There was no regal throne at the opposite end of the structure, as his fancy had envisaged; rather, there was a second doorway through which the remainder of the natives were quickly retreating. In fact, he soon saw, there was no standing native left inside; there were only humans. Only seconds after it had begun the skirmish was apparently over.

His first concern was van Damm. But a brief look at the fallen trooper was enough to show that this was no longer relevant. The spear had severed her spinal column; she was dead. Igwanda closed his eyes momentarily, partly in respect and partly to forestall tears; of all his troopers she had been his unacknowledged favorite, the one he most respected, trusted ... cared for. But there was no time for grieving.

"Report," he said harshly.

"We're temporarily secured," came Ahlia's voice. "There are no active natives in here. I count at least five that are wounded and may survive with aid, but none to present a threat. We have no wounded, civilian or soldier, except..." He pointed mutely to van Damm's body. "We need to avoid the doorways, though, because of spears—or we can close them, but we cut off most of our own light."

"Yes," replied the colonel. "Avoid the doors, but leave them open for now. Check their wounded. Interrogate them if possible. Save those you can, but without compromise to our own resources. Act independently for now. I must speak with Zo aboard the lander."

"All right, Zo, now," he said over the communicator. "We have been busy."

"I'm under some weird sort of attack, sir," came the trooper's voice. "I tried to call you as soon as it started—"

"Yes, yes," said Igwanda impatiently. "Describe."

"The ones in the woods I told you about, just about all of them suddenly dashed out and began throwing stuff at the ship. I don't know what it is, some sort of goop, but it sticks when it hits and I think it may be hardening. They concentrated first on the airlock area, but by now—"

"Lift off," Igwanda interrupted. "Get the lander up now!"

"I already tried," Zo replied. "I can't; the engine won't start."

"Wait," said the colonel. "Mr. Shaw!" he called. The obviously shaken mate stared at him. "Zo says the lander engine will not start. Why, and what can be done? He is under attack."

"Wh-what kind of attack?" fumbled Shaw. "How can they attack—"

"Immaterial. How to start the engine?"

"I— It should start right away. It's just a voice command."

"He says it does not."

Igwanda's firm, insistent tone was having its effect in focusing the first officer's attention. "What message is he getting?" Shaw asked.

"'Safety override, open ports, '" answered Zo when Igwanda relayed the question.

"That means the vent ports," clarified Shaw. "But they're not— tell him to open them. Just 'open vent ports.'"

"You speak with him," said Igwanda. "Your communicator on the lander channel. Get that lander in the air."

As he switched his own communicator off Igwanda turned to Ahlia. "Status?" he asked.

"There's a mass of them outside both doors, sir," replied the trooper. "They're keeping clear for now, but they're maneuvering and I see a lot of spears. It's almost like a parade ground they're so coordinated. I think they may be trying to set up to throw inside."

"Discourage them," ordered the colonel. "You and Dzenda. Use the blasters, one shot each door. Maximum casualties. Amanda," he continued, turning to her almost without pause. "You and Dr. Toshimura take over with their wounded. First aid if needed, but we need information urgently. Why did they attack, what are their plans and so on."

"John's still down," Meiersdottir replied. "He was the one who got shocked, he's only just now starting to move. I'll use Janet."

"Very well," Igwanda said. "Suits off all of you, if you have not already. We do not need that again."

Two violent explosions came almost simultaneously from both ends of the building. Eerily there was no other sound. "Ahlia!" called the colonel. "I said maximum casualties."

"Maximum casualties inflicted, sir," the trooper replied. "They don't make any noise. In fact, I haven't heard a sound from them after they began."

"Same as the Argo, " muttered Igwanda. "How do they issue orders?"

"Colonel?" It was Shaw. "I'm afraid we have a problem."

Igwanda turned to him. "Well?"

"Apparently the natives have blocked all of the vent ports with whatever it is they're throwing at the lander," the mate said. "They seem to be sealed."

The colonel shook his head impatiently. "Explain, please," he said.

"The engine generates heat, a lot of it. There are four small ports to ventilate it. We can run with some of them closed, but at least one has to be clear, preferably more. Your soldier has tried flushing them, but whatever is blocking them won't flush out; they'll have to be manually cleared from outside. But right now your man says there's a crowd of natives around and—"

"All right," Igwanda cut him off. He switched his communicator back on. "Zo, is life support still functional?"

"Yes, sir," came the voice in his ear.

"Very well," he said. "Do not venture outside, repeat, do not. Are any external monitors still available?"