Free Hellworld (Deathstalker Prelude) by Simon R. Green Page A

There was something about the use of sword and gun that brought her truly alive. All Investigators knew a single truth, and based their lives around it. Mankind has always achieved its best in the pursuit of violence. Investigators were the end result of society’s search for the perfect killer; the most deadly weapon humanity could forge.
    And like all weapons, they needed constant tempering in the heat of battle to maintain their strength and cutting edge.
    Williams tried to keep his eyes away from the melting forest, and concentrated on the alien city. There was money to be made there; he could feel it. But the Captain was going to be a problem. Dictatorial, overbearing, and too straitlaced for his own good, that one. If there were any profits to be made from this world, Williams had a strong feeling it would be in spite of, rather than because of, Captain Hunter. Still… Williams smiled slightly. It was a dangerous world. It was always possible the Captain would have an accident. A very regrettable, but thoroughly fatal accident.
    The forest moved slowly past them as they made their way round its perimeter. Hunter kept a careful eye on the frozen boundary, but the forest made no threatening moves. He began to breathe more easily. Perhaps the forest was going back to sleep again.
    The bright sun was high in the morning sky when they came across the water hole. It was roughly circular, some ten feet across, and maybe a dozen yards away from the forest boundary. Hunter brought the group to a halt, and stood a cautious distance away from the water hole while he studied it. The water lay a foot or so beneath the level of the surrounding ground, which was dry and rock-hard, just like everywhere else. The water was a dark crimson colour, and when Hunter leaned forward he caught a whiff of a faint, sharp smell he couldn’t identify. The sides of the hole were scalloped in a series of regular markings, and looked as though they’d be unpleasantly slick and smooth to the touch.
    “We’d better mark the hole’s position,” said Hunter finally. “We’re going to need a supply of fresh water soon.”
    “Assuming that stuff’s drinkable,” said Krystel. “We only have a limited supply of purification tablets.”
    “Yeah.” Hunter frowned. “I should have brought some dowsing equipment, so I could run tests on freely-occurring water. It’s one of the things we’re going to have to sort out fairly quickly. Damn.”
    “Don’t care much for the colour,” said Krystel. “Or the smell.”
    “Perhaps I can help,” said Williams. He moved forward slowly, keeping a watchful eye on the water hole, and then knelt down beside it.
    Hunter drew his gun and trained it on the well. “That’s close enough, Doctor. What did you have in mind?”
    Williams held up his left hand, and retractable sharp-edged sensor spikes emerged from under his fingernails. “I have a number of options built in, Captain. You never know when they’ll come in handy. Now, with your permission…”
    Hunter looked around. The forest was still and quiet, and the open plain was bare and empty for as far as he could see. “All right, Doctor; go ahead. But be very careful. There’s no telling how far down that water goes, or what else might be in it apart from water.”
    “Understood, Captain.” Williams leaned forward, and lowered his fingertips into the water. The extruded sensors glowed faintly; five shimmering sparks in the crimson water. Bright metallic lettering appeared before his eyes, detailing the water’s ingredients.
    “Well?” said Hunter. “Is it drinkable?”
    “I’m afraid not, Captain. This stuff’s more like soup than water. Most unusual makeup. I’m reading metallic salts, a fairly high acid level, and what appears to be some kind of enzymes.”
    Krystel frowned. “That isn’t a naturally occurring mixture, Captain. It sounds more … organic.”
    “Yeah,” said Hunter. “I think you’d better get away from there,