"Now Entering Sabretooth Country"
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dochermes"Now Entering Sabertooth Country"
6/22/2007
I.
Under the camouflage netting held up by eighty foot tall poles, the light in the compound showed a dim mottled green. It was much like being in a rain forest where the interlacing tree canopy filtered sunlight. Still being held at rifle point by four of the uniformed guards, Ashley and Megan marched along the walkway topping the high concrete walls. They were preoccupied with various plans of escape. But, as they peered down at the grassy ground fifty feet below them, all such thoughts fled their minds. Even these Tel Shai knights felt a surge of primal terror sweep over them.
Prowling around the enclosure were four tawny-hided cats, each as large as a bear, each a gigantic beast with massive shoulders and thick limbs.
The short stubby tails and rounded ears marked them as different from other big cats like tigers or lions. But it was the pair of downward-pointed white canine fangs that really set them apart. Seven inches long, those imposing weapons protruded outside the closed jaws. As the brutes spotted movement on the walls overhead, they swung around in a crouch and the jade-green eyes fixed hungrily upon the humans.
"Smilodon Ventralis," Megan observed with remarkable composure under the circumstances. "One of the least known species. I believe only fragments of a skull and some vertebrae have been found in Montana."
"Oh, very good," chuckled the old man standing well behind the riflemen. He was wearing white slacks and a white lab smock that fastened with a flap across the front. Standing with hands clasped behind him, gazing out through wire-rimmed glasses perched on a prominent nose, Cellini seemed to be merely a mild pharmacist or laboratory technician but the ancient Alchemist was in fact a veteran menace with many deaths on his record. "You are well informed, young lady."
"Human technology will not be able to recreate such animals for decades, if ever." The Trom Girl was a slender woman in her early twenties, with an inquisitive face under a shock of short tousled black hair. The large dark eyes she turned back toward their enemy were cool and analytical even under gun barrels pointed at her by sullen guards.
Ashley broke in. The tiny platinum-blonde placed both fists on her narrow hips and snorted. "Cloning, phooey! It wasn't science, I bet. It was gralic sorcery. Let me guess, you learned the Precincarnation spell from the Vidimar family, am I right? Of course I'm right."
Stepping a bit closer to scrutinize his prisoners more closely, Cellini permitted himself a smile. "Say, I am impressed with you girls. The tall tales about the knights of Tel Shai seem to have some basis in fact."
Megan Salenger was still wearing the all-black field suit with its boots, snug pants and waist-length jacket but the most obvious of her weapons had been confiscated. Their captors could not know of course, but they had missed a dozen tools and gadgets secured within the field suit's hidden pockets. Most importantly, they had not recognized the significance of the flat metal disc strapped between her shoulder blades and had not tried to remove it. The Trom Girl was reassured by this knowledge that her flight capability remained. "Dr Paolo Cellini. I remember your file describing you as an Alchemist with several accomplishments, but I do not recall your dabbling in gralic spells before."
"There is always more to learn," he mumbled as he watched the great beasts stalking them from out of reach. "Oh, how my babies wish they could leap just a few feet higher. Even when glutted and well fed, their predatory instincts are overwhelming."
"Yeah, they're licking their lips, all right," snorted Ashley. In contrast to her partner, the new Unicorn wore a field suit of solid white. With her gleaming platinum hair and crystal blue eyes, the petite young woman was a vivid sight in the white outfit. She swung around to smirk at their captor. "Here is where you try to intimidate us, huh? You drop a few remarks about how those kitties would love to chow down on our tender nubile flesh and wait for us to get hysterical. Well, you might as well skip that part."
Dr Cellini took a moment to comment. "You're not fooling me. I can sense the fear under your bravado. In any case, there are many answers I want from you two before one is thrown to my babies. I haven't decided yet which one of you will be sacrificed."
"Wait, hold on," the Unicorn said. "Is that... someone down there with those cats? I can't believe it."
Striding deliberately through the pack, arms half raised, was indeed a big man. He wore work boots, khaki shorts and an open leather vest which revealed a pendulous hairy belly. A bright red scarf around his neck and a pair of mirrored sunglasses completed his attire. The man had a shaven head which was showing five o'clock shadow. As he moved across the enclosure, the immense creatures actually shrank back to avoid contact with him. One of the Sabertooths cringed and slunk away in shame.
"I will never say I've seen everything," Ashley commented as she leaned over to peer down at the bizarre sight. "Those kitties could gobble him up in two bites but they seem intimidated. He doesn't have a whip or a staff or anything. I don't get it."
"Ah, yes, Bergen is one of my oldest assistants. I have kept him young through Alchemy, otherwise he would show his ninety years of age," Cellini chortled. "Heh. Sadly, I myself have endured so long that even my elixirs cannot keep the illusion of vigor for me. Bergen is the only one who can handle those monsters, he alone raised them since the Preincarnation spell transformed then as cubs."
"I suspect I know how he does this," Megan Salenger offered. "It is not mere conditioning or psychological dominance over them. Those animals are not tamed but merely cowed."
Dr Cellini raised a gnarled hand for silence. "Enough. You will have an opportunity soon enough to try your own luck with my pets. Guards, escort our guests to the study. We will make their final hours comfortable, at least."
II.
Marched up concrete steps into the main building, along passageways decorated with statuettes in niches and an occasional rich tapestry over a slit window, Megan and Ashley kept silent. Their stealthcopter the CORBY had been left thirteen miles north of here, secured under a mottled canvas. They had hiked through the gorgeous forests without difficulty, having spotted Cellini's compound from the air. Even with the Trom sensors and heat detectors, the camoflauged building had been difficult to detect. The odds against one of the sparse flyovers by park rangers ever noticing the hidden compound were negligible. The Adirondack Preserve stretched for hundreds of miles in every direction. Under the New York State Constitution, this land was to be kept "forever wild," and it showed how wealthy and secretive Cellini was that he had been able to kept his activities clandestine.
The guards in their khaki uniforms and billed caps kept the two young women covered by their rifles, two in front and two following. They kept enough of a distance that no escape attempt could be attempted. Through an unmarked door, the group entered a high-ceiling room lined with shelves absolutely crammed with ancient morocco-bound volumes and sheafs of loose papers. Some round tables were piled with further books and notes under subdued overlight lighting in recesses. The two Tel Shai knights were gestured toward a group of comfortable overstuffed chairs that sat near the tall narrow windows through which sunlight slanted.
Megan and Ashley complied and sat. They had not spoken since being taken inside the compound, giving each other an occasional reassuring glance. The sight of those Sabertooths had stuck with them. Finally, Paolo Cellini came into the room and indicated to the guards that they should wait just outside the door which was left ajar.
"I have not encountered Tel Shai knights before," the elderly Alchemist began as he gingerly lowered himself into a chair facing his prisoners. "I am not like Melchius or Dr Vitarius, I try to maintain a low profile. It was my dealings with the Preincarnators that put you on my trail, I suspect?"
"Oh, we have been feuding with those jokers for a long time," Ashley replied. She examined one fingernail with dissatisfaction, then gave Cellini an appraising gaze. Her eyes were a bright blue that caught the late afternoon sunlight like sapphires. "Most of the Vidimar family is gone now but every now and then, one of their disciples turns up."
"Heh. And I suppose now you will warn me that your coming here is known to the rest of your team?" Cellini said. "And that if you do not report within a short time, other Tel Shai warriors will come here looking for you?"
"That is entirely correct," answered Megan Salenger. The Trom Girl sat upright, feet planted on the hardwood floor and palms down flat against the arms of the easy chair, positioned so that she could instantly leap to her feet. "As far as we know, you have not killed anyone. There is no record of you ever taking anyone's life. This compound on restricted State land is completely illegal, of course. The Preincarnation spell and the Velkandu form of Alchemy you practice are forbidden arts. That is enough to justify our capturing you and using force if necessary."
"You know, I thought of something," Unicorn interrupted. "You said your trainer out there, that Bergen slob, was actually ninety years old but he looks about forty because of an Alchemy serum you give him. I bet ALL your guards are happy to be stuck out here in the wilderness with you and a dozen vicious man-eating prehistoric monsters because they're really old worn-out geezers. You provide the serum that makes them young again. Am I right, of course I'm right."
Cellini took his time responding. He blinked and rubbed his chin and seemed to choose his words carefully. "You are more than that bland little face and insolent manner would suggest. Yes. My staff are all well past middle age. Several were in wheelchairs or suffering through dialysis. Of course they gladly serve me for my serum. To be able to run and stretch without pain, to have clear senses, to not have that overwhelming feeling of impending mortality..." He chuckled in a singularly unpleasant manner. "No ruler in history ever commanded such loyalty."
The Alchemist reached behind his chair and brought up a white leather sheath three feet long, flat at one end and tapering to a point at the other. As he hefted this, Ashley gave out a yelp. "Hey, be careful with that! You better not get a scratch on that thing."
Unsnapping the catch, Cellini drew out the contents partway. It was an ivory-colored horn, capped with an ornate silver plate at the flat end. "If I am not mistaken, this is indeed a genuine Unicorn horn. How rare. How unexpected. Somewhere in my books I'm certain I can find what mystic properties this talisman holds."
"Aw, it's precious to me because my mom gave it to me. She was the first Unicorn. That thing is my namesake and symbol, that's all." In fact, Ashley had no intention of enlightening the Alchemist about what a potent talisman he was holding. Even by itself in a natural state, a Unicorn horn is a potent talisman against evil. The Unicorn is a holy beast in its natural way. That particular Horn has also been blessed by the immortal Eldarin and it had an ensalir cap to further enhance its effects. Most usefully, the sigil could remove gralic force from a living being, taking away any supernatural powers and restoring the subject to its natural state.
"So you say. Your words are unconvincing." The ancient Alchemist slid the horn back into its sheath and tapped it lightly against one cupped palm. "I... have misgivings about you girls. You are Tel Shai knights, and members of the Kenneth Dred Foundation. With any other prisoners, I would dismiss your threat. The communicators my men confiscated from you seem to have shut down after being taken out of your proximity. Your other weapons and devices are also inert. I do not think I will able to learn much from them." The Alchemist leaned forward and peered at them through his thick-lensed glasses. "You children think you are hardened adventurers. Bah, you have not even lived a single lifetime yet. I think you need to be humbled. You, the one who calls herself the Unicorn, will watch as your friend gets a good close look at my darlings...."
III.
While Ashley remained behind under guard, Megan was hustled quickly back along the corridors and down the concrete steps, with rifle barrels pointed at her ever step of the way. Her face remained thoughtful and unworried, as if she were doing a difficult math problem in her head. Following behind the group came Paolo Cellini, frowning and trying to keep up despite a noticeable limp. His Alchemy might extend his life past its normal span but nothing is perfect and he showed some of the aches and uncertainties natural in the aged.
They stopped in front of two flanking wooden doors, seven feet high and constructed of massive planks. A narrow slit at eye level enabled a guard already stationed there to peek through into the courtyard. "Boss, all seems clear. Bergen has the cats in a group on the far end."
"Fine. Young lady, I must ask again if you will cooperate with me rather than enter that arena?"
The Trom Girl scoffed and folded her arms across her chest. "That is not a serious question. You intend to feed me to these Sabertooths no matter what I do."
"Have it your way, then." Cellini drew back so that the four guards were standing between him and the doors. The guard who had been on duty there unbolted one door and swung it gingerly outward a few inches, keeping a terrified eye on the giant brutes who were huddled together at the opposite side of the courtyard. Megan was urged to go forward and she squeezed through the crack which was barely enough to admit her. Seeing the dozen monstrous animals stir and eye her hungrily awoke primal fear in the Trom Girl. She did not show the fear, but she was fully Human and had a normal reaction. As she stopped just outside the door, which remained ajar with a rifle protruding in her direction, Megan took in a few details she had been curious to see at closer range.
To her left was a waist-high stone trough filled with cold water. This evidently served as a drinking facility for the Sabertooths. Coiled on a hook on the wall next to it was a thick green hose with a pistol nozzle. For cleaning away blood and scraps, perhaps? Or an emergency fail-safe if the animals got too unruly, as a powerful spray of water might deter them. To her right were scattered an assortment of tough beach balls and wooden blocks with deep chips bitten out of them. Megan realized with faint musement that these must be toys for the big cats.
The trainer hitched up his shorts and walked over towards her, taking his time in an obvious attempt to build up some suspense. As he moved several of the Sabertooths rose to their feet and followed at a careful distance. The brutes seemed conflicted. They glared at Bergen with clear bloodlust in their intentions, yet at the same time they cringed away if he came too close. Megan thought she knew the reason behind this behavior.
She sidestepped until her hip touched the water trough. The Trom Girl found this Bergen an unappealing person, from the flabby gut to the overly hairy arms contrasting with the shaven head, there was nothing about him that she would have liked even under normal circumstances. "Let's get this over with, honey," he said. "Honestly, it's better to make it quick."
Megan did not reply. She saw no purpose served by a sharp remark. Instead, as the trainer reached her, she sniffed and caught the sharp odor of something acidic. With this confirmation of her theory, the Trom Girl hopped past the man and kicked down hard to the back of his left knee. That leg buckled and he fell forward, completely off balance, as she grabbed his other ankle and straightened up to lift it as high as she could. Bergen flipped head over heels to crash into the trough in a huge splash. Megan had thought through her every action before hand. The big man floundered and sputtered, and she pressed down on his head with both hands.
Her best efforts could only hold him under the water for less than a minute. He was too much bigger and stronger than she was. Megan moved back and positioned herself as the trainer struggled and got one leg over the rim of the trough. Through the partially open door behind them, the laughter of the guards broke out before being suppressed. Bergen roared like an animal himself as he got his footing and wiped the water from his eyes.
"Oh, that's going to cost you, missy!" he bellowed. Soaking wet, the trainer shook his head and smiled. "Look how close the babies have come to you."
It was true. Megan saw that the half-dozen Sabertooths had crept up until they were within pouncing distance. This near, their sheer bulk was overwhelmingly intimidating. One of them snorted, and the hot breath from his nostrils ruffled her hair. The Trom Girl again did the unexpected. Even as the trainer stepped toward her, she took two quick steps, seized Bergen's arm at wrist and elbow, and swung him around with all her Kumundu skill. Leverage and momentum helped more than simple strength. The man stumbled and reeled and fell directly against the nearest of the giant cats. That triggered a savage attack. The great tawny head raised and came down, the curved fangs sliced deeply across the trainer's body to send his intestines spilling out in a foul tangle. Not so much as a scream as an unbelieving gasp escaped him as the Sabertooth swatted him down with a paw as big as his torso.
In the wild, the Sabertooths attacked even larger prey such as mammoths by slashing at the legs with those fangs and chasing the bleeding animals until they fell weakened to the ground. Against a Human, that tactic was almost instantly fatal. Bergen barely had time to realize everything had gone terribly wrong before he was dead. Megan had not waited to watch. In the same motion that had thrown the man up against the monster, she dove headlong through the door before the guard could slam and bolt it. Megan fell, caught herself and leaped up again as the door crashed closed next to her. Three of the guards had extended their rifles and were obviously ready to shoot her dead.
"Wait," ordered their master. Paolo Cellini held up both open hands in a baffled gesture. "Don't kill her. May Draldros preserve us, that was clever, my dear. How could you have known what to do?"
Megan found to her surprise that she was panting in short shallow breaths. She had been more terrified than she had consciously realized. With an effort, she straightened up and tried to appear calm. "You are an Alchemist," she replied. "You achieve your feats by the use of Velkandu potions. I thought there was a high degree of probability that Berger was protected by coating himself with a solution that repelled the Sabertooths." She had caught her breath and met Cellini's furious glare with impunity. "It was worth a try."
IV.
In a freezing cold chamber deep underground, tied down to the rough plank table, Ashley Whitaker still struggled against the wire holding her wrists and ankles. She was lying face up under a naked 100-watt light bulb that shone directly into her eyes. The new Unicorn's field suit had been taken from her, but her captors had been unable to remove the Trom armor underneath. It seemed to be a simple bodysuit of dark silk with a wet sheen to it, covering her entire body except for her hands and feet and her head above the neck, but all attempts to cut it off had failed. Whatever it was made of, its fabric was unprecedently tough.
Ashley's white hair was thick with sweat, and her skin was damp. For two hours, she had been injected in her exposed skin by a series of Alchemical serums in attempts to make her talk. First had come truth serums to reduce her inhibitions and make her garrulous. Then had come an injection to cause vicious pain deep in her bones, then another serum that made her heart pound and her senses dazed. Nothing had gotten more from her than her usual impudent banter. Her last remark a few minutes earlier had been about this was no worse than a typical Saturday night at an LA club. "My friends used to pay big bucks to get this wasted," she muttered.
Pulling over a plain wooden chair, Cellini dropped down onto it and exhaled. He could not understand it. His most potent potions failed a few minutes after being introduced into the prisoner's system. It was as if some counteragent was neutralizing them. He did not know of the Tagra diet which Unicorn had been on for eight years. It was Tagra, only available at the Order of Tel Shai, that enhanced her healing ability and gave her immense resistance to injuries or poison. The secret of Tagra was what made Tel Shai knights so difficult to kill. Not many outsiders knew this.
Lifting her head, Ashley said, "How about some music? Got any CDs of the Plungers or Amy McKenna? Anything but rap, I've tried to give it a fair trial but I simply don't like that stuff."
The Alchemist rose and went over to one corner where he fetched a waist-high wheeled cart. He brought it over and let his captive get a good long look at the ceramic tray filled with scalpels, pliers, hooks and metal hammers. All were stained and well-used. Hanging over one arm of the cart was a folded towel caked with dry blood. Cellini waited a few more minutes, then said, "I will not be doing this myself. I have a professional who used to work for Ukrainian mobsters. It's just a job to him and I assure you that neither your youth nor your good looks will even enter his mind."
"Geez, this is getting serious," Unicorn replied. "Can this wait until after dinner? All I had today were some Granola bars."
Before the increasingly enraged Cellini could speak, the door to the chamber crashed open and one of the guards ran in so frantically that he stumbled.
"Boss, boss! The other one got away!"
"How could that happen?" the Alchemist demanded in a voice that was losing its composure.
"I wouldn't believe if I hadn't seen it myself," blurted the guard. "It's impossible. She dove right through one of the windows and, well, she flew off into the woods. Like she had some kind of rocket pack or something, only she didn't. We searched her, you watched us."
Cellini tightened both hands in gnarled fists. "She IS a Trom, then. Damnation. Reinhardt, call a full alert. I want every man armed and at their positions. Tell Western to warm up my plane, as well." As the befuddled man ran out of the chamber, the Alchemist glared down at his prisoner and his temper broke. He backhanded her hard across the face with a sharp cracking noise. "Wipe that smirk off your fool face!" he yelled.
"That didn't even hurt," she laughed. "You're feeble, grandpa."
"You will remain here until my men locate your friend. Then you will stop your disrespect as you scream for mercy."
"In your dreams," Unicorn said. "And you won't have to search for Megan, either. She's gonna come looking for you."
V.
Arching her body like a diver, Megan Salenger swooped down toward the clearing at a greater rate of speed than was prudent. She cut the lifting factor of her gravity shield, dropped her legs under her and hit the ground hard enough that she took a few stumbling steps before she could get her balance. The flattened dull grey metal disc on her back, no more than five inches across, was one of the secrets of Trom technology she could not share with her fellow Tel Shai knights. In fact, her instructions from the Trom Council were to use it sparingly and only when Humans were not present to witness her flight. Well, she was going to break a lot of rules in the next few minutes, she thought.
The Trom Girl unfastened the mottled green and black tarp that covered the CORBY. Instead of following procedure and securing it neatly in the storage hold of the craft, she let the cover lie where it fell. Tapping a code on the raised pad by the hatch, she disarmed the alarms and leaped up into the pilot seat as soon as the hatch swung open. Moving more quickly than she ever had before, Megan yanked the restraint straps across her chest and around her waist, then pressed the sequence of color-coded buttons in front of her. Overhead, the rotors began to turn and then came up to speed. She was supposed to perform an external survey of the CORBY and run a warm-up analysis of all systems before taking off, but she had no intention of doing that right now. As soon as the pastel lights showed green and blue, and the row of tiny monitor screens came online, Megan pulled back on the combined cyclic-collective stick. The black stealthcopter accelerated straight up far faster than any normal craft should have been able to.
Hang on, Ashley, she thought. Hitting the impulse engines and disengaging the rotors, Megan drove the CORBY forward at just under MACH-1. The hull began to vibrate but she rode it out. Breaking the sound barrier now would mean overshooting the Cellini compound before she could slow down again. In two minutes, she slowed the CORBY as the camoflauged building came into view. As she decelerated to cruising speed, the Trom Girl engaged the rotors again and came to hover over the compound. She checked the sensors. More than twenty Human life forms were active inside that building but only one had the distinctive heat signature that she recognized as Ashley's. Her Unicorn was alive, in a stone chamber under the ground level. Megan exhaled in relief. Now, some intimidation was called for.
Swinging to face the open courtyard where the Sabertooths were kept, Megan activated the weapons system. The CORBY had two short horizontal vanes set on either side behind the hatches, and as she pushed the red button, panels slid aside. The barrels of twin 30mm M230 chain guns extended and she took careful aim before loosing three short bursts. The storm of shells tore apart the netting up where it was fastened to the walkways and the compound was exposed. She saw a half-dozen of the big cats crouch uncertainly at the unexpected noise and at seeing the net drop to the ground. On the walkways, guards hastily took cover, one even dropping his rifle and having to backstep to fetch it again.
Through the external speakers of the CORBY, Megan's voice thundered at a painfully loud level. "This is your only warning. Bring the prisoner safely out or I will demolish this place and everyone in it!"
In answer, a barrage of rifle fire cracked up at the black helicopter. Megan ignored it. Ordinary weapons wouldn't even scratch the windscreen. She brought the CORBY down closer and spotted the big wooden doors which closed off the courtyard from the rest of the compound. They were part of her plan. Again, she blasted careful short bursts of the chain guns and the doors chipped away, then fell off their shattered hinges with a crash. Although she was not aware of it, a grim smile crossed her face. She angled the copter and increased the rotor spin. The rush of gale-force wind kicking up dust and slapping at the big cats rousted the Sabertooths. They charged out of the courtyard through the new opening and galloped into the hallways beyond.
Lowering the landing gear, the Trom Girl brought the CORBY down in the center of the now-deserted courtyard. The rotors slowed and stopped. From its hook on the back of her seat, she lifted her helmet and fastened it over her head, leaving the clear visor retracted. With the helmet and her gloves as well as the flexible armor under her field suit, she should be protected against those beasts but she wasn't confident about that. It seemed likely that their sheer strength and natural armament would still be able to hurt her, maybe break some bones if they caught her. Megan opened a compartment in the lower inside of the hatch to her right. Usually KDF members kept snacks or personal items like sunglasses there, but she drew out the flat metal oblong of her spare beam projector. The neural shock cartridge was in place. She adjusted its intensity up to near maximum, which would be fatal for any Human caught in its beam.
All this had taken only a second. The last of the big cats had just rushed out through the ruined doors as she opened her hatch and hopped out lightly onto the grass-covered ground. Finding Ashley was her first priority. Capturing Cellini and rounding up those Sabertooths could wait. Inside the compound, the rattle of automatic gunfire was replaced by terrified shrieks and ferocious roars. At least the guards were distracted at the moment. Racing through the open doorway and sprinting down the long narrow corridor, Megan thumbed the right ear pod on her helmet. The visor slid down and its heads-up display showed a pale green grid with a blinking dot in one corner; that would be Ashley's heat signature. Strange that it seemed so close, she thought. Maybe her teammate was being moved.
Rounding a corner, Megan was slammed brutally down onto her back by eight hundred pounds of bone and muscle. The Sabertooth's deadly fangs ripped across her upper body, tearing open the tough fabric of the field jacket but not penetrating the silk-thin armor beneath. The weight of the beast was crushing her. Megan felt her ribs beginning to bend inward under the pressure and she screamed more from outrage than fear. The beam projector was still in her right hand but she could not move her forearm enough to turn its effect on this creature. One massive paw batted against the side of her helmet like a wrecking ball, and even through the helmet's internal padding the impact made her head ring and her vision clouded over. There was still one chance. If she could activate her gravity shield, it should be able to lift her and this monster up off the floor. Hopefully, the big cat would be surprised enough to fall off.
Echoing from a vast distance, Ashley Whitaker's voice called out, "With this horn, I remove thy power!"
As simply as that, the smothering weight was gone from her chest. Megan gasped and coughed, tried to sit up but could not quite make it. Every muscle in her upper body ached and her sides were agonizingly sore. Her surroundings came into focus. The Unicorn was kneeling beside her, helping her to a seated position, rubbing her back reassuringly. The little blonde was only wearing the leotard-like Trom armor and her wrists were covered with blood. Her sweat-thickened hair stuck out wildly. "Megs, Megs, you're okay! Take a minute. Catch your breath. We're both gonna be fine."
"Ashley?" asked the Trom Girl. "I expected you to be a prisoner. How did you get free?"
"Wasn't easy! I lost some skin getting out of the wires they tied me up with. Here, hold still, I'm gonna get some of the gauze from your first aid packet." Reaching inside the left side of her friend's field jacket, Ashley brought out some white adhesive strips coated on the inner side with antiseptic cream. She wound the gauze around her gouged wrists and let out a sigh. "That's a little better. Man, listen to that racket up that way. How much ammo are those guards packing anyway?"
Slowly, struggling against the pain, Megan got to her knees and then rose as her partner gave her an arm for support. "We have much to do, Ashley. We must settle with Cellini. We need to retrieve our equipment, too, it's forbidden to allow Trom technology to fall into Human hands. Of course, we must also round up the Sabertooths before they can get loose into the wilderness."
"Oh, absolutely. Let a dozen of those critters start having litters and the whole ecosystem will be turned upside-down. Imagine the warning signs on the trails, 'You Are Now Entering Sabertooth Territory.' Come on, I'll help you back to the CORBY. Once we're in our bird, we can circle this hellhole from the air and make sure neither the big cats or that geezer Cellini escapes."
Taking a tentative step on stiff legs, Megan froze as she glimpsed something down at their feet. "Oh. Ashley, look."
"Yeah, I think we have to take this heartbreaker with us. She's too little to leave behind. When I undid the Preincarnation spell, that Sabertooth turned back to its modern form." Unicorn bent and lifted a weeks-old calico kitten that wriggled ineffectually in her arms. "I wonder if we're allowed to keep pets?"
10/16/2018
6/22/2007
I.
Under the camouflage netting held up by eighty foot tall poles, the light in the compound showed a dim mottled green. It was much like being in a rain forest where the interlacing tree canopy filtered sunlight. Still being held at rifle point by four of the uniformed guards, Ashley and Megan marched along the walkway topping the high concrete walls. They were preoccupied with various plans of escape. But, as they peered down at the grassy ground fifty feet below them, all such thoughts fled their minds. Even these Tel Shai knights felt a surge of primal terror sweep over them.
Prowling around the enclosure were four tawny-hided cats, each as large as a bear, each a gigantic beast with massive shoulders and thick limbs.
The short stubby tails and rounded ears marked them as different from other big cats like tigers or lions. But it was the pair of downward-pointed white canine fangs that really set them apart. Seven inches long, those imposing weapons protruded outside the closed jaws. As the brutes spotted movement on the walls overhead, they swung around in a crouch and the jade-green eyes fixed hungrily upon the humans.
"Smilodon Ventralis," Megan observed with remarkable composure under the circumstances. "One of the least known species. I believe only fragments of a skull and some vertebrae have been found in Montana."
"Oh, very good," chuckled the old man standing well behind the riflemen. He was wearing white slacks and a white lab smock that fastened with a flap across the front. Standing with hands clasped behind him, gazing out through wire-rimmed glasses perched on a prominent nose, Cellini seemed to be merely a mild pharmacist or laboratory technician but the ancient Alchemist was in fact a veteran menace with many deaths on his record. "You are well informed, young lady."
"Human technology will not be able to recreate such animals for decades, if ever." The Trom Girl was a slender woman in her early twenties, with an inquisitive face under a shock of short tousled black hair. The large dark eyes she turned back toward their enemy were cool and analytical even under gun barrels pointed at her by sullen guards.
Ashley broke in. The tiny platinum-blonde placed both fists on her narrow hips and snorted. "Cloning, phooey! It wasn't science, I bet. It was gralic sorcery. Let me guess, you learned the Precincarnation spell from the Vidimar family, am I right? Of course I'm right."
Stepping a bit closer to scrutinize his prisoners more closely, Cellini permitted himself a smile. "Say, I am impressed with you girls. The tall tales about the knights of Tel Shai seem to have some basis in fact."
Megan Salenger was still wearing the all-black field suit with its boots, snug pants and waist-length jacket but the most obvious of her weapons had been confiscated. Their captors could not know of course, but they had missed a dozen tools and gadgets secured within the field suit's hidden pockets. Most importantly, they had not recognized the significance of the flat metal disc strapped between her shoulder blades and had not tried to remove it. The Trom Girl was reassured by this knowledge that her flight capability remained. "Dr Paolo Cellini. I remember your file describing you as an Alchemist with several accomplishments, but I do not recall your dabbling in gralic spells before."
"There is always more to learn," he mumbled as he watched the great beasts stalking them from out of reach. "Oh, how my babies wish they could leap just a few feet higher. Even when glutted and well fed, their predatory instincts are overwhelming."
"Yeah, they're licking their lips, all right," snorted Ashley. In contrast to her partner, the new Unicorn wore a field suit of solid white. With her gleaming platinum hair and crystal blue eyes, the petite young woman was a vivid sight in the white outfit. She swung around to smirk at their captor. "Here is where you try to intimidate us, huh? You drop a few remarks about how those kitties would love to chow down on our tender nubile flesh and wait for us to get hysterical. Well, you might as well skip that part."
Dr Cellini took a moment to comment. "You're not fooling me. I can sense the fear under your bravado. In any case, there are many answers I want from you two before one is thrown to my babies. I haven't decided yet which one of you will be sacrificed."
"Wait, hold on," the Unicorn said. "Is that... someone down there with those cats? I can't believe it."
Striding deliberately through the pack, arms half raised, was indeed a big man. He wore work boots, khaki shorts and an open leather vest which revealed a pendulous hairy belly. A bright red scarf around his neck and a pair of mirrored sunglasses completed his attire. The man had a shaven head which was showing five o'clock shadow. As he moved across the enclosure, the immense creatures actually shrank back to avoid contact with him. One of the Sabertooths cringed and slunk away in shame.
"I will never say I've seen everything," Ashley commented as she leaned over to peer down at the bizarre sight. "Those kitties could gobble him up in two bites but they seem intimidated. He doesn't have a whip or a staff or anything. I don't get it."
"Ah, yes, Bergen is one of my oldest assistants. I have kept him young through Alchemy, otherwise he would show his ninety years of age," Cellini chortled. "Heh. Sadly, I myself have endured so long that even my elixirs cannot keep the illusion of vigor for me. Bergen is the only one who can handle those monsters, he alone raised them since the Preincarnation spell transformed then as cubs."
"I suspect I know how he does this," Megan Salenger offered. "It is not mere conditioning or psychological dominance over them. Those animals are not tamed but merely cowed."
Dr Cellini raised a gnarled hand for silence. "Enough. You will have an opportunity soon enough to try your own luck with my pets. Guards, escort our guests to the study. We will make their final hours comfortable, at least."
II.
Marched up concrete steps into the main building, along passageways decorated with statuettes in niches and an occasional rich tapestry over a slit window, Megan and Ashley kept silent. Their stealthcopter the CORBY had been left thirteen miles north of here, secured under a mottled canvas. They had hiked through the gorgeous forests without difficulty, having spotted Cellini's compound from the air. Even with the Trom sensors and heat detectors, the camoflauged building had been difficult to detect. The odds against one of the sparse flyovers by park rangers ever noticing the hidden compound were negligible. The Adirondack Preserve stretched for hundreds of miles in every direction. Under the New York State Constitution, this land was to be kept "forever wild," and it showed how wealthy and secretive Cellini was that he had been able to kept his activities clandestine.
The guards in their khaki uniforms and billed caps kept the two young women covered by their rifles, two in front and two following. They kept enough of a distance that no escape attempt could be attempted. Through an unmarked door, the group entered a high-ceiling room lined with shelves absolutely crammed with ancient morocco-bound volumes and sheafs of loose papers. Some round tables were piled with further books and notes under subdued overlight lighting in recesses. The two Tel Shai knights were gestured toward a group of comfortable overstuffed chairs that sat near the tall narrow windows through which sunlight slanted.
Megan and Ashley complied and sat. They had not spoken since being taken inside the compound, giving each other an occasional reassuring glance. The sight of those Sabertooths had stuck with them. Finally, Paolo Cellini came into the room and indicated to the guards that they should wait just outside the door which was left ajar.
"I have not encountered Tel Shai knights before," the elderly Alchemist began as he gingerly lowered himself into a chair facing his prisoners. "I am not like Melchius or Dr Vitarius, I try to maintain a low profile. It was my dealings with the Preincarnators that put you on my trail, I suspect?"
"Oh, we have been feuding with those jokers for a long time," Ashley replied. She examined one fingernail with dissatisfaction, then gave Cellini an appraising gaze. Her eyes were a bright blue that caught the late afternoon sunlight like sapphires. "Most of the Vidimar family is gone now but every now and then, one of their disciples turns up."
"Heh. And I suppose now you will warn me that your coming here is known to the rest of your team?" Cellini said. "And that if you do not report within a short time, other Tel Shai warriors will come here looking for you?"
"That is entirely correct," answered Megan Salenger. The Trom Girl sat upright, feet planted on the hardwood floor and palms down flat against the arms of the easy chair, positioned so that she could instantly leap to her feet. "As far as we know, you have not killed anyone. There is no record of you ever taking anyone's life. This compound on restricted State land is completely illegal, of course. The Preincarnation spell and the Velkandu form of Alchemy you practice are forbidden arts. That is enough to justify our capturing you and using force if necessary."
"You know, I thought of something," Unicorn interrupted. "You said your trainer out there, that Bergen slob, was actually ninety years old but he looks about forty because of an Alchemy serum you give him. I bet ALL your guards are happy to be stuck out here in the wilderness with you and a dozen vicious man-eating prehistoric monsters because they're really old worn-out geezers. You provide the serum that makes them young again. Am I right, of course I'm right."
Cellini took his time responding. He blinked and rubbed his chin and seemed to choose his words carefully. "You are more than that bland little face and insolent manner would suggest. Yes. My staff are all well past middle age. Several were in wheelchairs or suffering through dialysis. Of course they gladly serve me for my serum. To be able to run and stretch without pain, to have clear senses, to not have that overwhelming feeling of impending mortality..." He chuckled in a singularly unpleasant manner. "No ruler in history ever commanded such loyalty."
The Alchemist reached behind his chair and brought up a white leather sheath three feet long, flat at one end and tapering to a point at the other. As he hefted this, Ashley gave out a yelp. "Hey, be careful with that! You better not get a scratch on that thing."
Unsnapping the catch, Cellini drew out the contents partway. It was an ivory-colored horn, capped with an ornate silver plate at the flat end. "If I am not mistaken, this is indeed a genuine Unicorn horn. How rare. How unexpected. Somewhere in my books I'm certain I can find what mystic properties this talisman holds."
"Aw, it's precious to me because my mom gave it to me. She was the first Unicorn. That thing is my namesake and symbol, that's all." In fact, Ashley had no intention of enlightening the Alchemist about what a potent talisman he was holding. Even by itself in a natural state, a Unicorn horn is a potent talisman against evil. The Unicorn is a holy beast in its natural way. That particular Horn has also been blessed by the immortal Eldarin and it had an ensalir cap to further enhance its effects. Most usefully, the sigil could remove gralic force from a living being, taking away any supernatural powers and restoring the subject to its natural state.
"So you say. Your words are unconvincing." The ancient Alchemist slid the horn back into its sheath and tapped it lightly against one cupped palm. "I... have misgivings about you girls. You are Tel Shai knights, and members of the Kenneth Dred Foundation. With any other prisoners, I would dismiss your threat. The communicators my men confiscated from you seem to have shut down after being taken out of your proximity. Your other weapons and devices are also inert. I do not think I will able to learn much from them." The Alchemist leaned forward and peered at them through his thick-lensed glasses. "You children think you are hardened adventurers. Bah, you have not even lived a single lifetime yet. I think you need to be humbled. You, the one who calls herself the Unicorn, will watch as your friend gets a good close look at my darlings...."
III.
While Ashley remained behind under guard, Megan was hustled quickly back along the corridors and down the concrete steps, with rifle barrels pointed at her ever step of the way. Her face remained thoughtful and unworried, as if she were doing a difficult math problem in her head. Following behind the group came Paolo Cellini, frowning and trying to keep up despite a noticeable limp. His Alchemy might extend his life past its normal span but nothing is perfect and he showed some of the aches and uncertainties natural in the aged.
They stopped in front of two flanking wooden doors, seven feet high and constructed of massive planks. A narrow slit at eye level enabled a guard already stationed there to peek through into the courtyard. "Boss, all seems clear. Bergen has the cats in a group on the far end."
"Fine. Young lady, I must ask again if you will cooperate with me rather than enter that arena?"
The Trom Girl scoffed and folded her arms across her chest. "That is not a serious question. You intend to feed me to these Sabertooths no matter what I do."
"Have it your way, then." Cellini drew back so that the four guards were standing between him and the doors. The guard who had been on duty there unbolted one door and swung it gingerly outward a few inches, keeping a terrified eye on the giant brutes who were huddled together at the opposite side of the courtyard. Megan was urged to go forward and she squeezed through the crack which was barely enough to admit her. Seeing the dozen monstrous animals stir and eye her hungrily awoke primal fear in the Trom Girl. She did not show the fear, but she was fully Human and had a normal reaction. As she stopped just outside the door, which remained ajar with a rifle protruding in her direction, Megan took in a few details she had been curious to see at closer range.
To her left was a waist-high stone trough filled with cold water. This evidently served as a drinking facility for the Sabertooths. Coiled on a hook on the wall next to it was a thick green hose with a pistol nozzle. For cleaning away blood and scraps, perhaps? Or an emergency fail-safe if the animals got too unruly, as a powerful spray of water might deter them. To her right were scattered an assortment of tough beach balls and wooden blocks with deep chips bitten out of them. Megan realized with faint musement that these must be toys for the big cats.
The trainer hitched up his shorts and walked over towards her, taking his time in an obvious attempt to build up some suspense. As he moved several of the Sabertooths rose to their feet and followed at a careful distance. The brutes seemed conflicted. They glared at Bergen with clear bloodlust in their intentions, yet at the same time they cringed away if he came too close. Megan thought she knew the reason behind this behavior.
She sidestepped until her hip touched the water trough. The Trom Girl found this Bergen an unappealing person, from the flabby gut to the overly hairy arms contrasting with the shaven head, there was nothing about him that she would have liked even under normal circumstances. "Let's get this over with, honey," he said. "Honestly, it's better to make it quick."
Megan did not reply. She saw no purpose served by a sharp remark. Instead, as the trainer reached her, she sniffed and caught the sharp odor of something acidic. With this confirmation of her theory, the Trom Girl hopped past the man and kicked down hard to the back of his left knee. That leg buckled and he fell forward, completely off balance, as she grabbed his other ankle and straightened up to lift it as high as she could. Bergen flipped head over heels to crash into the trough in a huge splash. Megan had thought through her every action before hand. The big man floundered and sputtered, and she pressed down on his head with both hands.
Her best efforts could only hold him under the water for less than a minute. He was too much bigger and stronger than she was. Megan moved back and positioned herself as the trainer struggled and got one leg over the rim of the trough. Through the partially open door behind them, the laughter of the guards broke out before being suppressed. Bergen roared like an animal himself as he got his footing and wiped the water from his eyes.
"Oh, that's going to cost you, missy!" he bellowed. Soaking wet, the trainer shook his head and smiled. "Look how close the babies have come to you."
It was true. Megan saw that the half-dozen Sabertooths had crept up until they were within pouncing distance. This near, their sheer bulk was overwhelmingly intimidating. One of them snorted, and the hot breath from his nostrils ruffled her hair. The Trom Girl again did the unexpected. Even as the trainer stepped toward her, she took two quick steps, seized Bergen's arm at wrist and elbow, and swung him around with all her Kumundu skill. Leverage and momentum helped more than simple strength. The man stumbled and reeled and fell directly against the nearest of the giant cats. That triggered a savage attack. The great tawny head raised and came down, the curved fangs sliced deeply across the trainer's body to send his intestines spilling out in a foul tangle. Not so much as a scream as an unbelieving gasp escaped him as the Sabertooth swatted him down with a paw as big as his torso.
In the wild, the Sabertooths attacked even larger prey such as mammoths by slashing at the legs with those fangs and chasing the bleeding animals until they fell weakened to the ground. Against a Human, that tactic was almost instantly fatal. Bergen barely had time to realize everything had gone terribly wrong before he was dead. Megan had not waited to watch. In the same motion that had thrown the man up against the monster, she dove headlong through the door before the guard could slam and bolt it. Megan fell, caught herself and leaped up again as the door crashed closed next to her. Three of the guards had extended their rifles and were obviously ready to shoot her dead.
"Wait," ordered their master. Paolo Cellini held up both open hands in a baffled gesture. "Don't kill her. May Draldros preserve us, that was clever, my dear. How could you have known what to do?"
Megan found to her surprise that she was panting in short shallow breaths. She had been more terrified than she had consciously realized. With an effort, she straightened up and tried to appear calm. "You are an Alchemist," she replied. "You achieve your feats by the use of Velkandu potions. I thought there was a high degree of probability that Berger was protected by coating himself with a solution that repelled the Sabertooths." She had caught her breath and met Cellini's furious glare with impunity. "It was worth a try."
IV.
In a freezing cold chamber deep underground, tied down to the rough plank table, Ashley Whitaker still struggled against the wire holding her wrists and ankles. She was lying face up under a naked 100-watt light bulb that shone directly into her eyes. The new Unicorn's field suit had been taken from her, but her captors had been unable to remove the Trom armor underneath. It seemed to be a simple bodysuit of dark silk with a wet sheen to it, covering her entire body except for her hands and feet and her head above the neck, but all attempts to cut it off had failed. Whatever it was made of, its fabric was unprecedently tough.
Ashley's white hair was thick with sweat, and her skin was damp. For two hours, she had been injected in her exposed skin by a series of Alchemical serums in attempts to make her talk. First had come truth serums to reduce her inhibitions and make her garrulous. Then had come an injection to cause vicious pain deep in her bones, then another serum that made her heart pound and her senses dazed. Nothing had gotten more from her than her usual impudent banter. Her last remark a few minutes earlier had been about this was no worse than a typical Saturday night at an LA club. "My friends used to pay big bucks to get this wasted," she muttered.
Pulling over a plain wooden chair, Cellini dropped down onto it and exhaled. He could not understand it. His most potent potions failed a few minutes after being introduced into the prisoner's system. It was as if some counteragent was neutralizing them. He did not know of the Tagra diet which Unicorn had been on for eight years. It was Tagra, only available at the Order of Tel Shai, that enhanced her healing ability and gave her immense resistance to injuries or poison. The secret of Tagra was what made Tel Shai knights so difficult to kill. Not many outsiders knew this.
Lifting her head, Ashley said, "How about some music? Got any CDs of the Plungers or Amy McKenna? Anything but rap, I've tried to give it a fair trial but I simply don't like that stuff."
The Alchemist rose and went over to one corner where he fetched a waist-high wheeled cart. He brought it over and let his captive get a good long look at the ceramic tray filled with scalpels, pliers, hooks and metal hammers. All were stained and well-used. Hanging over one arm of the cart was a folded towel caked with dry blood. Cellini waited a few more minutes, then said, "I will not be doing this myself. I have a professional who used to work for Ukrainian mobsters. It's just a job to him and I assure you that neither your youth nor your good looks will even enter his mind."
"Geez, this is getting serious," Unicorn replied. "Can this wait until after dinner? All I had today were some Granola bars."
Before the increasingly enraged Cellini could speak, the door to the chamber crashed open and one of the guards ran in so frantically that he stumbled.
"Boss, boss! The other one got away!"
"How could that happen?" the Alchemist demanded in a voice that was losing its composure.
"I wouldn't believe if I hadn't seen it myself," blurted the guard. "It's impossible. She dove right through one of the windows and, well, she flew off into the woods. Like she had some kind of rocket pack or something, only she didn't. We searched her, you watched us."
Cellini tightened both hands in gnarled fists. "She IS a Trom, then. Damnation. Reinhardt, call a full alert. I want every man armed and at their positions. Tell Western to warm up my plane, as well." As the befuddled man ran out of the chamber, the Alchemist glared down at his prisoner and his temper broke. He backhanded her hard across the face with a sharp cracking noise. "Wipe that smirk off your fool face!" he yelled.
"That didn't even hurt," she laughed. "You're feeble, grandpa."
"You will remain here until my men locate your friend. Then you will stop your disrespect as you scream for mercy."
"In your dreams," Unicorn said. "And you won't have to search for Megan, either. She's gonna come looking for you."
V.
Arching her body like a diver, Megan Salenger swooped down toward the clearing at a greater rate of speed than was prudent. She cut the lifting factor of her gravity shield, dropped her legs under her and hit the ground hard enough that she took a few stumbling steps before she could get her balance. The flattened dull grey metal disc on her back, no more than five inches across, was one of the secrets of Trom technology she could not share with her fellow Tel Shai knights. In fact, her instructions from the Trom Council were to use it sparingly and only when Humans were not present to witness her flight. Well, she was going to break a lot of rules in the next few minutes, she thought.
The Trom Girl unfastened the mottled green and black tarp that covered the CORBY. Instead of following procedure and securing it neatly in the storage hold of the craft, she let the cover lie where it fell. Tapping a code on the raised pad by the hatch, she disarmed the alarms and leaped up into the pilot seat as soon as the hatch swung open. Moving more quickly than she ever had before, Megan yanked the restraint straps across her chest and around her waist, then pressed the sequence of color-coded buttons in front of her. Overhead, the rotors began to turn and then came up to speed. She was supposed to perform an external survey of the CORBY and run a warm-up analysis of all systems before taking off, but she had no intention of doing that right now. As soon as the pastel lights showed green and blue, and the row of tiny monitor screens came online, Megan pulled back on the combined cyclic-collective stick. The black stealthcopter accelerated straight up far faster than any normal craft should have been able to.
Hang on, Ashley, she thought. Hitting the impulse engines and disengaging the rotors, Megan drove the CORBY forward at just under MACH-1. The hull began to vibrate but she rode it out. Breaking the sound barrier now would mean overshooting the Cellini compound before she could slow down again. In two minutes, she slowed the CORBY as the camoflauged building came into view. As she decelerated to cruising speed, the Trom Girl engaged the rotors again and came to hover over the compound. She checked the sensors. More than twenty Human life forms were active inside that building but only one had the distinctive heat signature that she recognized as Ashley's. Her Unicorn was alive, in a stone chamber under the ground level. Megan exhaled in relief. Now, some intimidation was called for.
Swinging to face the open courtyard where the Sabertooths were kept, Megan activated the weapons system. The CORBY had two short horizontal vanes set on either side behind the hatches, and as she pushed the red button, panels slid aside. The barrels of twin 30mm M230 chain guns extended and she took careful aim before loosing three short bursts. The storm of shells tore apart the netting up where it was fastened to the walkways and the compound was exposed. She saw a half-dozen of the big cats crouch uncertainly at the unexpected noise and at seeing the net drop to the ground. On the walkways, guards hastily took cover, one even dropping his rifle and having to backstep to fetch it again.
Through the external speakers of the CORBY, Megan's voice thundered at a painfully loud level. "This is your only warning. Bring the prisoner safely out or I will demolish this place and everyone in it!"
In answer, a barrage of rifle fire cracked up at the black helicopter. Megan ignored it. Ordinary weapons wouldn't even scratch the windscreen. She brought the CORBY down closer and spotted the big wooden doors which closed off the courtyard from the rest of the compound. They were part of her plan. Again, she blasted careful short bursts of the chain guns and the doors chipped away, then fell off their shattered hinges with a crash. Although she was not aware of it, a grim smile crossed her face. She angled the copter and increased the rotor spin. The rush of gale-force wind kicking up dust and slapping at the big cats rousted the Sabertooths. They charged out of the courtyard through the new opening and galloped into the hallways beyond.
Lowering the landing gear, the Trom Girl brought the CORBY down in the center of the now-deserted courtyard. The rotors slowed and stopped. From its hook on the back of her seat, she lifted her helmet and fastened it over her head, leaving the clear visor retracted. With the helmet and her gloves as well as the flexible armor under her field suit, she should be protected against those beasts but she wasn't confident about that. It seemed likely that their sheer strength and natural armament would still be able to hurt her, maybe break some bones if they caught her. Megan opened a compartment in the lower inside of the hatch to her right. Usually KDF members kept snacks or personal items like sunglasses there, but she drew out the flat metal oblong of her spare beam projector. The neural shock cartridge was in place. She adjusted its intensity up to near maximum, which would be fatal for any Human caught in its beam.
All this had taken only a second. The last of the big cats had just rushed out through the ruined doors as she opened her hatch and hopped out lightly onto the grass-covered ground. Finding Ashley was her first priority. Capturing Cellini and rounding up those Sabertooths could wait. Inside the compound, the rattle of automatic gunfire was replaced by terrified shrieks and ferocious roars. At least the guards were distracted at the moment. Racing through the open doorway and sprinting down the long narrow corridor, Megan thumbed the right ear pod on her helmet. The visor slid down and its heads-up display showed a pale green grid with a blinking dot in one corner; that would be Ashley's heat signature. Strange that it seemed so close, she thought. Maybe her teammate was being moved.
Rounding a corner, Megan was slammed brutally down onto her back by eight hundred pounds of bone and muscle. The Sabertooth's deadly fangs ripped across her upper body, tearing open the tough fabric of the field jacket but not penetrating the silk-thin armor beneath. The weight of the beast was crushing her. Megan felt her ribs beginning to bend inward under the pressure and she screamed more from outrage than fear. The beam projector was still in her right hand but she could not move her forearm enough to turn its effect on this creature. One massive paw batted against the side of her helmet like a wrecking ball, and even through the helmet's internal padding the impact made her head ring and her vision clouded over. There was still one chance. If she could activate her gravity shield, it should be able to lift her and this monster up off the floor. Hopefully, the big cat would be surprised enough to fall off.
Echoing from a vast distance, Ashley Whitaker's voice called out, "With this horn, I remove thy power!"
As simply as that, the smothering weight was gone from her chest. Megan gasped and coughed, tried to sit up but could not quite make it. Every muscle in her upper body ached and her sides were agonizingly sore. Her surroundings came into focus. The Unicorn was kneeling beside her, helping her to a seated position, rubbing her back reassuringly. The little blonde was only wearing the leotard-like Trom armor and her wrists were covered with blood. Her sweat-thickened hair stuck out wildly. "Megs, Megs, you're okay! Take a minute. Catch your breath. We're both gonna be fine."
"Ashley?" asked the Trom Girl. "I expected you to be a prisoner. How did you get free?"
"Wasn't easy! I lost some skin getting out of the wires they tied me up with. Here, hold still, I'm gonna get some of the gauze from your first aid packet." Reaching inside the left side of her friend's field jacket, Ashley brought out some white adhesive strips coated on the inner side with antiseptic cream. She wound the gauze around her gouged wrists and let out a sigh. "That's a little better. Man, listen to that racket up that way. How much ammo are those guards packing anyway?"
Slowly, struggling against the pain, Megan got to her knees and then rose as her partner gave her an arm for support. "We have much to do, Ashley. We must settle with Cellini. We need to retrieve our equipment, too, it's forbidden to allow Trom technology to fall into Human hands. Of course, we must also round up the Sabertooths before they can get loose into the wilderness."
"Oh, absolutely. Let a dozen of those critters start having litters and the whole ecosystem will be turned upside-down. Imagine the warning signs on the trails, 'You Are Now Entering Sabertooth Territory.' Come on, I'll help you back to the CORBY. Once we're in our bird, we can circle this hellhole from the air and make sure neither the big cats or that geezer Cellini escapes."
Taking a tentative step on stiff legs, Megan froze as she glimpsed something down at their feet. "Oh. Ashley, look."
"Yeah, I think we have to take this heartbreaker with us. She's too little to leave behind. When I undid the Preincarnation spell, that Sabertooth turned back to its modern form." Unicorn bent and lifted a weeks-old calico kitten that wriggled ineffectually in her arms. "I wonder if we're allowed to keep pets?"
10/16/2018
