Change, page 3
His touch gentle, Andy put a hand on her shoulder. Hundreds of people. Including kids.
She hugged him, and then her gaze hit the open door. Despite being stone, she felt sick. I’m happy to stay out here.
As much as I loathe saying this, but I think you and I both need to observe what we can. Wyn’s words held an unhappy waver.
It’s bad enough you had to see the remains in the ship. With your memory, you won’t ever forget a detail. As much as Andy and I hate seeing this, at least it’ll blur with time for us. You already saw the other dead, Zita sent.
Her friend’s mental voice was firm. Someone needs to remember them and I’m the best candidate. You need to do so to avoid having Andy as the only witness. Two witnesses are more credible than one, and it increases the difficulty of downplaying the scene and claiming that both of you misinterpreted it.
Zita huffed out a breath, or tried to, anyway. Carajo. I’m pretty certain none of us will forget them, but you’re right. Nobody’s going to say he was mistaken. Sometime soon, though, we need to all take time to do something nice that doesn’t involve dead people. Other than Dmitri. He’s okay, but he’s hard to take on a hike.
Deal, Wyn sent.
Absolutely, Andy agreed. Okay, you ready, Wyn? You can borrow my eyes.
I need a moment to get something first, Wyn sent.
Zita made herself walk over and survey the new room. She shuddered and said a quick prayer for those inside. The urge to move away and exercise until she could sleep was overwhelming. Right, it’s exactly what he said it was. Pens. People. Animals. All dead and mummified and looking like they’re screaming. More dead bugs and pieces of a woman by a shield and spear. He’s not crazy. Now that I’ve seen it, I’m going to wait outside.
Go on, Zita. I’m ready, Andy, Wyn sent, and then party line went dead.
Zita turned her back on the awful sight and marched back into the hangar, past the shuttle. Her gaze hit the heap of black objects piled against a far wall and she realized it was more of the insect aliens, ripped apart and tumbled together from the crash.
Emotion choked her and made her speed up, faster and faster as she drew closer to freedom. By the time she dove through the hole to the outside of the ship, she was running.
She bounded out, past the hole that probably swallowed the rover and the worst of the debris field. To keep from thinking too much, she jumped and rolled, throwing in the occasional defiant flip, avoiding anything that could’ve been a piece of ship or something... someone... from it.
Warmth flooded her mind as party line returned.
We’re done. His earlier glee was gone.
Another quake shook the ground.
I’m ready to go if you are. Zita paused, rocking on her heels as she waited for him to join her.
Her instincts screamed, and she hurled herself to the side, somersaulting away.
The ground exploded where she’d been.
A nightmare worm surged out of the frozen ground, massive mouth snapping at where she’d been a moment ago.
She was so close she could’ve counted the individual stiff hairs of the bristles twining around it. Zita sprinted away from the creature, both to escape it and to see it better. She danced a ginga backwards as she studied it. Carajo! Guys, something’s trying to eat me!
Puzzlement accompanied Andy’s words. Nothing lives here except maybe some extremophile bacteria or other microscopic organisms.
The creature had all the worst features of a lamprey and a worm, several orders of magnitude larger than either. Endless teeth in a circular maw, ringed by barbels that waved like tentacles in the air, rose above an elongated body that disappeared into the ground. A line of stiff bristles wove around the visible part. The greedy mouth closed sideways. The worm turned and lunged at her far too fast for something that big. Faster than she could run.
She teleported forty feet away without losing a step in her ginga. It’s not microscopic or a bacterium unless those get giant dinosaur-sized. Good thing I have options other than running.
It disappeared back under the surface, but debris flew as the ground broke and buckled as it tunneled toward her.
Zita teleported again to avoid becoming a snack or injured by any of the flying shards of ice and rock.
The creature burst out of the ground where Zita had been.
Holy crap, is that the unholy love child of a sandworm and a Graboid? Andy’s shocked voice came over party line. She could barely make out his shape, hovering in the air by the entrance to the ship.
Disgust spilled over party line from Wyn. I got that reference.
There’s no sand here. Just ice and rock! If you guys know what it is, though, what do we do about it and is it sentient? It seems to feel I’d make a nice snack. Zita stopped moving to study it.
The entire creature vibrated bonelessly where she’d been, mouth area rotating.
Andy hovered, staring at the creature. I don’t know. Sandworms and Graboids are fictional. Can you check, Wyn?
Were I there, I could tell you, but I cannot do so from Earth. Wyn’s frustration spilled over the link. Be very careful.
Whatever it is, it needs to stay away from the ship. Maybe we can lure it far enough off that the ship won’t be in danger? I think we can guess what happened to the rover. Andy floated closer, studying it.
Zita nodded, rocking on her heels and then froze as the barbels and then the creature’s entire head... area... turned toward her. En serio, General Aetherics won’t be getting their expensive robot toy back. I’m fine with luring it away, but most animals stick to their own territory. This is the only area with the holes, right? I wasn’t paying attention earlier, and you had a better view when you were flying.
I wasn’t searching for them specifically earlier, but yes, I think so. Luring it away might not help more than short-term. His sigh was felt rather than heard.
Wyn’s gentle voice interceded. When we were in the place with the dinosaurs, you were able to ascertain that they weren’t sentient. Can you do that here?
Worth a try. Andy switched to his avian form and flew at the worm as if to attack it.
It didn’t react, despite the jet-sized golden eagle diving at it.
No natural predators, since it didn’t even flinch. The lack of atmosphere would negate Andy’s sound and prevent any wind, but it should see him. Zita’s leg jiggled up and down.
The creature was still waving its barbels in her direction.
Proving she was listening, Wyn sent, If it’s like Earth’s worms and burrowers, perhaps it is blind?
I don’t shift into a worm because they’re super vulnerable, but I think they run on touch. It keeps going after me, though, even though I’m keeping my distance, so it shouldn’t be that. It can’t smell or hear me with no atmosphere, Zita protested, taking a few steps away.
The worm turned its head in her direction and began to sink back into its hole.
I could eat that. Andy’s avian form dove at the creature again. He grabbed it with his talons, lifting it partially back out of its hole, but the creature wiggled free and disappeared beneath the surface.
That answers the sentient question, since he doesn’t go after anything smart. And, mano, cliché much? I don’t think you want to snack on that. Zita took a few steps forward to see better.
The ground buckled and broke into a raised line toward her.
She backed up, and the line sped up.
When she felt the ground tremble, Zita teleported a hundred feet away.
The worm burst through the surface, snapping where she’d been.
Andy switched back to his human form and flew over. Tremor sense. That’s what the creatures in the movies had. They could feel movement on the ground, so you’d be the easy target because you’re always in motion.
From this far away? I don’t see an alternative, but that’s weird. How strong is that thing to escape you? Zita shook her head and barely stopped herself from moving.
He shrugged as he drew closer to the worm. The angle wasn’t right for my talons and it has a better grip on its tunnel than I was expecting. Not to mention, non-bird-me really didn’t want that thing in my stomach. I’ll see if I have better luck throwing it as a man.
She grimaced. Take your best shot, mano.
Andy flew to the creature and reached out to grab it. His hands slipped, and then cracks appeared in the worm’s skin around them before his fingers sank into the creature.
Or not. I should’ve known that would happen. Picking it up in this form won’t work. So gross. He pulled his hands away in disgust, backing away from it.
The worm dove on him, swallowing him whole, and then disappeared beneath the surface.
Andy, don’t play. You get out of there right now! It’s back underground, Zita sent, trying not to worry. Or move.
Working on it, he sent.
What’s going on? Worry came from Wyn.
The worm surfaced in an explosion of frozen shards and it convulsed, shaking its head back and forth. A shudder ran through it as its maw opened and it bent toward the ground.
Andy tumbled out, crashing to the ground in a pile of rock and ice shards. His mouth opened and closed in a silent moan.
Zita teleported to his side and knelt beside him. You okay, mano? Are you hurt?
The creature disappeared back into its hole.
I’m fine, but have you ever been swallowed? It’s never fun, he said as he got to his feet, trying to brush himself off.
You were eaten again? This isn’t the first time, nor is it likely to be the last. I wager you lost your cape again, as well. Wyn clucked over their link.
He frantically patted at his back, frustration on his face.
Zita couldn’t help grinning. Sí, it’s gone, and we couldn’t bring a spare.
I have a plan, Andy announced, lifting off from the ground. Z, you concentrate on teleporting away if you feel a tremor and try to stand still. Not only would you be unable to damage it, but it will pulverize you even as a stone gargoyle, given how easily it goes through the ice and stone here. I’ll lure it away from the ship. When it’s far enough away, I’ll put some actual strength into smashing it. I hate to damage the moon, but better that than hurting you or the ship... Maybe I should take you and the astronauts home first, just in case?
She scowled and her mind whirled. Assuming that wasn’t born here, who hauls around something that’s both stupid and nearly unstopp—I have an idea, but where would I aim? It does try to eat everything. Pues, I need something from the ship. Keep the worm away from the ruin and I’ll be back soon.
Zita teleported back toward the ship, barely visible on the horizon.
Wait! What’s the plan? Andy almost shouted.
Dubiousness ran through Wyn’s question. I concur, what rash foolishness are you plotting? Not all your ideas work out for the best.
They haven’t killed me yet, either. The worm’s the weapon, and I’m going to hope old countermeasures still works. Busy now. Keep it away, but don’t go so far I can’t find you again. If my plan fails, we’ll do yours, but mine is faster and should be less dangerous. I hope. Zita sent, running through the ship to grab the thing she wanted.
He grumbled, Don’t ask for much, do you?
The acknowledgement of potential death is not reassuring either, Wyn commented.
***
It took longer to find Andy and his opponent in the vast landscape than to retrieve the item she’d seen on the ship, though figuring out the release for it had required realizing it wasn’t built for human hands. Fortunately, her gargoyle tail was both nimble and prehensile.
She teleported to about twenty feet from the creature, far closer than she was comfortable with, but she’d seen it go after Andy when he was that close without going underground again first.
Andy seemed to give it fits, as it could only find him when he landed. He zipped over to her. That’s a little close, isn’t it?
Zita waved him off. She took a deep breath. Andy, move away so I can get its attention. I got to focus, so don’t yammer at me either.
Wyn complained, Can’t you take a moment to explain?
Going to see if ancient shit still works. No time for more and staying still is killing me. Time to find out if I can teleport faster than it can eat me, she sent, stomping her feet.
The creature pivoted toward her, barbels waving.
This plan sucks, don’t! Andy must’ve caught on to her idea.
The worm lunged for her.
As its maw gaped open above her, Zita hurled the object she’d retrieved from the ship into it with all of her strength, and teleported, once to fifty feet away, and then to midair on the horizon in case that wasn’t far enough. Another teleport put her safely on the surface, next to a large rock. She spun around, heart pounding. Did it work?
The creature had disappeared below the frozen ground into a new hole beside its original one.
Just visible in the distance, Andy’s small human form hovered near where she’d been. No clue. You never said what it was supposed to do.
The ground shuddered, light flashed, and a geyser cloud exploded around him.
And billowed toward her.
She ducked behind the big rock.
The cloud blasted past her.
She peered out.
Andy had disappeared, as had most of the surface in the area. A new crater, the rocky edges glowing a molten red, now radiated out from where the creature had been.
Zita blinked and teleported closer, but not so close she’d touch anything glowing. Mano? You good?
What happened? You two are not allowed to go on missions without me ever again. Fear threaded through Wyn’s voice.
I hit the worm with what I thought was super-old poison. It seems to have exploded. A lot. Mano? Zita scanned the landscape for her friend.
Andy groaned over their connection. Warn a guy next time. I got thrown quite a ways. I’ll head back to the new crater and find you there.
Zita blew out nonexistent air in relief and ran a hand, back and forth, over her stony hair. Sorry. I thought it was poison and the worm would curl up and die. Really powerful poison since they had it in a special magnetic container and had all these warnings not to crush it.
It was in a... Z, that might’ve been antimatter. Maybe only chuck things in the future when you know what they are? Andy zipped to the crater and changed direction to join her.
It was pill-shaped, and the sign said it was for weapon neutralization. The worm was definitely a weapon because there isn’t any way that thing was natural. Its mouth was the obvious way to administer it. Poison seemed logical. Is antimatter bad? I mean, the worm’s dead. I think. Zita waved at the crater.
Wyn sounded like she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Think of it like a nuclear device, but more likely to vaporize you than not.
Andy hovered beside her now. From the amount of dust and debris covering him, she wondered if there was now a human-shaped crater somewhere nearby. That’s not a scientifically sound explanation, but it’s close enough for Zita use.
She let the gibe go, recognizing it for the truth. Carajo. Sorry.
He bumped her shoulder. Next time, share the wacky plan with your faithful companions so we can give you backup and info you might not know, like the odds of something exploding. Again.
She tapped his shoulder back with her fist. Fine. Sorry, mano. I couldn’t fly, and there’s only so long I can remember not to move.
What’s a trip without an explosion or two and a new permanent scar on a moon? He shrugged.
Oye, I got the point already. This time, she poked his side.
He grinned. Cool. Let’s go get some astronauts back home.
Chapter Three
“I can’t believe I took a nap to be here,” Zita muttered, fidgeting in her fancy dress. “I hope something interesting—”
“Don’t say it.” Wyn cut her off and fluffed her chestnut curls. Unlike Zita, she seemed relaxed, eyeing passing flutes of free alcohol with considerable interest. “We are quite fortunate. Not only did we receive a free trip to Barcelona and a paycheck to attend the first Atlantean public conference since they announced their existence to the world, we’re also attending exclusive parties that we’d normally never be invited to.”
“This is more of a favor to Dino and you, actually. I’m earning less than if I were working my two jobs at home, and I wouldn’t be anywhere near here if it weren’t work and something you wanted. And it’s still boring.” Zita scanned the room.
The interns they were supposed to be interpreting for were still missing, though she and Wyn had arrived at the agreed-upon meeting place a sensible fifteen minutes before they’d been due and been dutifully waiting there ever since.
While the venue with its sweeping architecture, bountiful artwork, and sparkling crystal chandeliers was nice enough if you liked that sort of thing—she didn’t care one way or the other—it was still just a crowded hotel. The smell of sweat, clashing chemical fragrances, and makeup almost drowned out the salty scent of the nearby sea and the tantalizing odors of the food. No-doubt expensive soundproofing and lush carpeting swallowed much of the warring sounds of music and constant conversation from other rooms, but the continuous throb of noise had her nerves on high alert. The number of security guards didn’t help, especially once she’d spotted the ones garbed as servers but carrying concealed weapons. They were concentrated at the entrance, near where the two women waited, and around the ballrooms where most of the dignitaries gathered.
She touched the saint medallion at her throat, rubbing her thumb over its worn surface as she kept scanning the crowd. “Those losers ditched us, didn’t they? We’ve been standing by the entrance for no reason for an eternity.”
Her friend clucked and glanced up from her phone. “It’s only been about forty-five minutes, and the probability is high, yes. Per their earlier less-than-subtle inquiries about Gothic Quarter nightlife, they are likely there. Your priorities are wrong if you’d prefer more time with them to enjoying tonight’s event. For a conference of people who want to win the first chance to acquire Atlantean resources, the crowd is far more varied than I had expected. I heard some of the European and Japanese meta teams are here. Do you know what that means?”
