Alien Freak - Calista Skye Page 0,83

this thing in one piece, and I survive, I can still do what I came here to do.

Maybe.

The thickening atmosphere is howling past the viewport, turning it into a windshield in the true meaning of the word.

I set the autopilot to handle the rest of the descent – it can probably do it with less disastrous results than me. Studying the scanner readout, I see that the enemy ships are probably Bululg. And what they’re doing here is not hard to guess.

The ship judders, and I grab the controls again, just to have something to hang on to. At least the course is steady and there’s no tumbling. That would have certainly been the death of me. As it is, a semi-controlled fall to the ground means I’m only probably going to die, not with absolute certainty.

The ground is coming closer, very fast. It’s the nightside of the planet, but there’s a lot of moons up and they give perfectly strong light to see by.

The ship hits a pocket of cooling air and plummets like through a hole.

“Blasted…” At the last moment, I realize that dying with a curse against the Fate on my lips may not be the best idea for a good afterlife.

Because this is not going well. The ship is out of control and heading straight for my destination. Too straight. Straight for the very heart of it, in fact. Not what I wanted at all.

“Sweet Fate,” I mutter. “I got so close.”

35

- Averie -

I’ve fallen maybe six feet through the air when I’m caught in something invisible. It feels like a gelatinous surface, but it has no temperature or substance. It gently breaks my fall and slowly brings me down to the ground, wafting like a falling leaf in October. Probably a forcefield of some kind.

Two feet above the ground it lets go of me and dumps me on the ground on my butt. “Ooof!”

I’m immediately bathed in a white light from all sides.

“Little alien freak,” a calm voice says. “Trying to kill yourself rather than be caught? I think that prince who is my prey has been a bad influence on you.”

I stagger to my feet and shield my eyes against the light. The hunter IruBex comes into the light of the circle on his hundreds of tiny legs, the unusual gun held in two of his many arms.

“He’s not here,” I wheeze, too exhausted in every way. “You missed him by several days.”

The Gurandu hunter cackles, and it’s the most evil sound I’ve heard. “Really? Did I? Well, we’ll see. He certainly thinks I’m right on his tail, whereas I am in fact right here. He’s ridiculously predictable.”

I sigh. The game is up, I’m done. “You’re not hunting him anymore? Good for you. He was about to kill you. He’s still going to.”

“Nothing can keep me from hunting Zaroc,” IruBex states. “I’ll keep going until I get him. But I think my task will be easier now that I have bait. I’ll confess, I was slightly confused about why he came here, of all places and then left again immediately. Then it dawned on me – he was leaving something behind: you.”

I manage a dry laugh. “He’ll never be back. I slow him down. I’m a burden.”

“Perhaps.” IruBex looks around, wary. “Don’t worry, you won’t slow him down again. As soon as I get him, I’ll give you back to the Bululg. They weren’t that interested, to be honest. Seems they’re tired of hunting you. But when I offered you to them for just a little bit of assistance against these pitiful monks, they agreed. Don’t overestimate your value to them. I think they’re willing to sell you quite cheaply. Troublesome slaves are not popular. Now get in there.”

Three Bululg come out of the darkness, carrying a net.

I stare at IruBex’s head and wish destruction on it. Nothing happens. No, I can’t control the Uncertainty bracelet.

“You’ll have to kill me,” I explain. “I’m not doing it.”

One of the Bululg calmly takes out a long cattle prod and touches the end to my hip.

I don’t even hear the zap. I only come to on the ground, the net around me. I’m on my back, completely paralyzed and powerless to do anything.

That was the end of me. They have me. It was a pretty spectacular few weeks, though.

There’s a shout from somewhere, and the Bululg stiffen and look up.

The shooting star is still in the sky, except much brighter and moving faster.

God, I hope it’s an