Free The Battle for the Ringed Planet by Richard Edmond Johnson Page A

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    “In the city? But you lived?”
    Chestnut eyes locked on the priest’s gun hand, “Yeah, I don’t know why.”
    “No Sky Demon has ever survived the ward placed over the city.”
    Out of the corner of his eye Torian spied Lexor and a few others moving to surround Siiri, “Tell them to stop!” He hissed.
    “You like this girl?” the priest glanced at the others.
    “She’s a victim of your draconian tyranny.”
    “She’s evil; the voices will over power her.”
    Angry now, Torian shouted, “Listen! There are going to be thousands of marines landing! And if they’re not mine, they’ll commit horrible atrocities on you all! And if they are mine and you kill me, I swear they’ll take their revenge!”
    The cold blue eyes of the priest bore on him hard, and then he spoke calmly, “You knew we would try and kill you if you came here, Sky Demon?”
    “Siiri warned me.”
    “I begged him not to come,” the blonde girl pointed her cross bow menacingly at Lexor’s crotch while he raised his shotgun at her head and the others completely surrounded her, with more moving in to create a larger circle around Torian and the priest.
    “Yet you came to warn us to hide?”
    “Yes. I thought at least I could warn the children about the danger, but in retrospect I hope the Imperium marines tear you out a new asshole.”
    Father Jarlan focused on Torian with his Azurite eyes, and then he lowered the silver pistol and cachinnated loudly, slapping Torian’s shoulder, “You’ll have to tell more about these Imperium fellows. I appreciate that your intentions were for good. Welcome to Grondalle, Sky Demon. We have already prepared for invasion. You may stay here for the night under one condition, you tell no one we are here. Then you must leave.”
    “And her?” Torian pointed with his pistol back at Lexor who was inches from the girl.
    “She must be burned to death. Seize her!”
    Siiri turned white and Torian swallowed while Lexor and other men moved up to secure the girl, but the flight specialist acted quickly, stepping between the villagers and the girl, “Don’t you touch her!” Quickly he holstered a pistol and drew out his Con and brought up a holo, “There is at least one Imperium cruiser up there, maybe more, I’ll send a beacon with the Callisto’s signature and they’ll light up this whole damn valley with plasma! Then they will land their freaked out marines and become your worst terror!” He held his thumb on the track ball.
    Now it was Lexor and his men who turned pale while Father Jarlan narrowed his eyes, “You would kill the women and children behind me?” The crowd began to back off slowly.
    Siiri inched closer to Torian, anxiously watching the Con, “Not the children, I’ll go …” she whispered.   
    “It’s your call, priest. They’re already scouting the crash sight with fighters. Call your off your thugs or die.”
    “Very well, she can stay the night, but you must take her with you or we will kill her in the morning. I cannot promise her protection and you don’t know the full extent of her abilities. Guard her constantly. I suppose her family will be glad to have her back, even if it is just for a short while.” A movement from the crowd caught Torian’s eye and he spied an older man step forward and Siiri watch the figure.
    The man in robes continued, “You may soon regret having sympathy for the witch.”
    Growling out the words, Torian aimed his pistol at Lexor, “If she is harmed, I will hunt you down and kill you.” Lexor lowered his shotgun and slowly backed off to stand with the others while the off-worlder held his Con up higher, “Any threat, and I’ll send out a signal.”
    Narrowing his eyes, the old priest put away his silver laser pistol, “We will talk again in the morning, Sky Demon.”
    “I’m sure it will be pleasant.” He watched the old man turn to leave.
    The man Siiri had been watching stepped forward and she ran toward him and