Free Quest For Earth by S E Gilchrist Page A

and Barid could wait for the rescue team while I take the shuttle already here and go and pick up Bree and Kondo. It will be dark soon and what the Board have told us about the fierce Outworlders makes me uneasy. They sound extremely primitive and war-like.’
    Dyrke nodded. ‘We cannot leave the damaged shuttle unguarded.’
    â€˜I agree. Kondo can leave some of his men behind while we return to the Quinnie .’
    The transporter rolled to a stop and Rothe trotted down the steps of the building, his soldiers two paces behind him.
    â€˜I will escort you back to the landing zone,’ he said. He brushed past and opened the transporter’s door.
    Sherise hid a smile and murmured to Dyrke, ‘You will have pleasant company while you wait.’
    Dyrke snorted. ‘I shall pray to our goddess the wait will not be a long one.’
    ***
    Within sectons the clamps were down and the shuttle tethered to the earth. Sherise unlocked her harness and stood, stretching out the kinks in her cramped muscles. The journey hadn’t taken long, a mere two Earth hours, but she’d been filled with tension the entire time.
    Outwardly composed, she moved to the side to allow the small squad of warriors file past towards the hatch. Inwardly, she shook so badly nausea rolled in her belly. The homing device had led them directly to the wreck but, despite constant messages, no one had answered.
    â€˜Secure a perimeter. Captain, you and I will examine the damaged shuttle. Ensign, remain in the cockpit and keep your weapon at the ready.’ Uncertain of what they would face, Sherise knew they had to be prepared for anything.
    She stepped down from the shuttle and took a moment to survey the area. Already the bright blue of the sky was darkening. Clouds were forming too, a reminder that they knew little about the weather patterns of the planet.
    But no matter in which direction she looked, she saw no one.
    No dear friend.
    No Relic warlord.
    No crew from the fallen shuttle.
    Nothing but stone, rubble and rambling dusty-green plants as tall as her shoulders. The torched shells of ancient buildings skirted the area, casting shadows deep and thick. The malevolent silence that blanketed the bleak landscape caused the hairs on her nape to stand on end.
    With his plitza gun in hand and primed, the Captain strode forward, heading for where the small ship was half buried in a mound of dirt and rock as high as a two storey-building. After several frustrating moments of wrestling with the jammed lock they entered via the rear hatch.
    Again, nothing. No one.
    Sherise attempted to re-start the power source but it gave one lonely splutter before dying. ‘We need technicians from the Quinnie here. Captain send a report to Commander Dyrke immediately. Advise him of the status. I intend to check the hold again.’ She squeezed past a jumble of broken seats until she found what she’d spotted when she’d first entered. A personal comms unit lying on one of only three unbroken seats.
    She snatched it up and quickly activated it.
    â€˜This is Kondo. All are safe on the ground. The foolish Earth female has run off, refusing to wait for rescue. We are heading out to retrieve her. We are unable to send or receive messages, hence I have left behind my comms. We will return here as soon as our mission is accomplished.’
    Mission. She’s more than a mission, you beefwit. Sherise rubbed her aching forehead.
    â€˜Lady.’ The Captain’s voice was soft as if he hesitated to interrupt her train of thought.
    â€˜You heard?’ Sherise held up the comms unit.
    He nodded.
    â€˜I suppose we should wait for them to return. Did you get through to the Commander?’
    â€˜Negative. We cannot reach anyone.’
    Sherise frowned. ‘Just like Kondo. Could our signals be jammed?’
    â€˜It is possible.’ He waited a beat before adding, ‘I would like to send out two patrols to collect more data. The