Page 32 of Captured By The Alien (Starbound #2)

“That fucking bitch,” said Vysh for the tenth time.

It was night. There were no moons overhead and Kara recalled Vahn telling her they could only be seen in this hemisphere for half the year.

She’d built a fire and shown Vysh how to set a snare using the wire in her rucksack. But they had no bait and didn’t catch anything. Now they were staring into the flames trying to ignore their hunger and keep their spirits up.

“There’s no point chasing her. We can’t see her on the map,” Kara said. Her head throbbed where Layahn had hit her but at least the egg-shaped lump had started to recede. The last thing she needed was a concussion.

“So let’s go find some more spheres instead.”

“Not in the dark. It’s pitch black, we can’t see a thing.”

“I can.”

“Well, I don’t have your freaky night vision and I’m not risking a busted ankle.”

“So we wait for daylight.” Vysh sighed despondently. “I’m so sorry, Kara. If you hadn’t come to look for me, you’d have been back at base by now.”

The same thought had occurred to Kara but she shrugged it off.

“It’s not your fault. That cow was tracking me. She saw I was heading to the finish line and realized I must have a sphere. She’d have jumped me sooner or later.”

“If she managed to recalibrate the map, why didn’t she just find her own sphere?”

“I’m guessing because she thought it would be more fun this way. She’s a psycho.”

“As soon as it’s light I’ll help you snag another sphere. Then you can complete the challenge.”

“We’ll both complete it. Now get some sleep, Pink. You’ll need all your energy to catch those suckers.”

In the event, they slept fitfully. They hadn’t had time to gather leaves to use as mattresses and the ground was uncomfortable. But they rose at first light, determined to finish the trial.

Kara checked the map. Lyrith and Risane were on the move towards the rendezvous point. She showed Vysh.

“Looks like they’ve got spheres,” she told Vysh. “But I don’t think the others have worked it out yet. We’re still in with a chance.”

“Where are the nearest ones to us?”

Kara pointed.

“Half a click that way. There’s two of them just a few meters apart.”

That was good news at least. The closer they were to their quarry, the less time they’d waste. They gathered their stuff and set out.

They finished the last of the water in lieu of breakfast. It hadn’t rained since yesterday and Vysh only had a bit left. Kara’s bottle was annoyingly still in the rucksack Layahn had taken. But it was fine, Kara told herself. They’d be back at base in a couple of hours.

The first sphere was easy to catch, mainly because Vysh did all the hard work. She insisted on being the one to grab it, refusing to let Kara go through the vomit-inducing frenzy. And to be fair, at her height it was way easier for her to get hold of the thing.

Not so easy for Kara to keep up though, as the sphere veered madly through the forest with Vysh hanging on to it for dear life.

By the time the auto-cutoff activated, they were a kilometer away from the second sphere.

“Damn it.” Kara looked at the map while Vysh sat with her head between her legs, trying to keep from throwing up. “Hespia’s heading for the finish line. That’s four through to the next round.”

“It’s not fair. You figured it out first.”

“No use crying over spilt milk.”

“What in the name of Zandarr does that mean?”

“It means there’s no point complaining about things you can’t change.”

“It’s still not fair. I really want to smash Layahn’s teeth in.”

“Me too, but then we’d both get kicked out. Leave it for the combat round. Hopefully one of us will get to face her.”

“Hopefully.” Vysh stood up, grimacing as her stomach churned. “Okay, I feel a bit better now.”

“You still look a little grey. Or is that your camouflage?”

“Definitely not the camouflage. But I’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure? You don’t seem so good.”

“It’s just motion sickness. I’ve suffered from it since I was a hatchling. Even the ride over in the pod made me queasy.” She gave a wan smile. “Seriously, I’m okay. Let’s go.”

It took them an hour to reach the second sphere, mostly because just as they were approaching it Vysh doubled over to heave into a bush. The sphere zipped off to hide somewhere else and didn’t stop until it was another kilometer away.

When they finally cornered it, Vysh was in no state to grab it. She was dehydrated and exhausted.

“Just give me five minutes,” she said gamely.

“Forget it, Pink. This one’s mine.”

Kara eyed the xantha sphere. It was hovering motionless over a gulley and even with her anti-grav boots, she wasn’t sure she could reach it.

Come on, Singh. Think.

She was uncomfortably aware time was ticking by. Every second that passed meant a greater chance of being overtaken by the other Potentials.

Her fears were confirmed when Vysh gave a little groan.

“ Drek. Vecca’s on her way out.”

“Damn it.” Kara looked at the sphere again and an idea struck her. “Give me your laser-blade.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Something I got pretty good at when I was marooned. But I haven’t done it for a while.”

Vysh handed over her weapon and Kara switched it on. She adjusted the blade until it was about the same length as the handle.

“The general definitely said the only requisite was to have a sphere, right? Nothing about the condition it had to be in?”

“No, we just need a sphere. Why?”

“Because this one might get a bit fucked.”

Balancing the blade in one hand, Kara gauged its weight and moved a little closer to the sphere. She stood sideways on and sighted down her arm as she took aim. Then she hurled it like a dagger.

It flew through the air, turning end over end until it hit the target dead centre.

There was a splutter of pops and a shower of sparks. The ball fell to the ground, its casing skewered and cracked, as dead as a doornail.

“Wow,” breathed Vysh in awe. “That was amazing.”

“Trust me, I’m just as surprised as you are. I haven’t done anything like that for ages. Now let’s get out of here. You okay to jog?”

“Lead the way.”

It started raining again shortly after they set off. They both took a few minutes to gulp down water and Kara was relieved to see Vysh’s scales return to a healthier shade.

They headed for the rendezvous with renewed energy, and made it over the finish line in sixth and seventh place. Layahn’s face darkened as she watched them come in. When Vysh caught sight of her, she went straight up to Ela and complained.

“She stole Kara’s sphere,” she said loudly. “She cheated. Kara would have been back first if that fa’krak nesmagh hadn’t threatened to maim me.”

“I was bluffing, of course,” Layahn said acidly. “And you fell for it.”

“You weren’t bluffing,” said Vysh furiously. “General, she should be disqualified. She held a blade to my throat.” She pointed to her blistered skin.

“Is this true, Layahn?” asked Ela.

The other Potentials who’d made it back gathered round curiously. Layahn glowered.

“What if it is? You said there were no rules.”

“Harming another Potential is forbidden, you know that.”

“It was an accident. She’s making it out to be more than it was.”

“That’s a pile of dankar zift, ” Vysh retorted. “You hit Kara on the head. Was that an accident too?”

“Enough, both of you.” Ela turned to Kara. “Do you have anything to say about all this, human?”

Kara looked at Layahn with narrowed eyes. God, she’d love to have the bitch disqualified. But there was the bigger picture to consider, one Vysh was too angry to see right now. Galling though it was, she had to take the high road.

“If Layahn says it was an accident, then that’s what it was.”

Vysh was aghast.

“But…”

“Silence, all of you,” barked Ela. “That’s an end to it. Kara, where are your spheres?”

Wordlessly, Kara dumped the two xantha balls at the general’s feet. Then she grabbed Vysh by the arm and dragged her away.

“Why didn’t you back me up?” asked Vysh angrily. “I was defending you. We could have got that bitch thrown out of shaa’baara. ”

“I know, and believe me I want that as much as you. But think it through. If she gets kicked off, what then?”

“What do you mean?”

“She’s Baelon’s niece. If you get her disqualified, he’ll take it out on your family. I don’t know much about Vraxian politics but I know a vindictive bastard when I see one.”

“Oh.” Vysh was brought up short. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

“Your father may be a noble, but he’s not as far up the tree as the Vantrax clan. And if he gets bad-mouthed by them, he’ll never let you marry your kalehshun. So we’re letting this one go, okay?”

“Okay. Yes. You’re right.” Vysh took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. “Thanks for looking out for me.”

“Hey, that’s what friends are for. Now let’s find some food before I die of starvation.”

It was another four hours before the challenge was complete. Zanthara arrived narrowly ahead of Gendril who limped in on a twisted ankle, in pain but triumphant.

That meant Chanya, Borth, Inyria and Rapunzel were out.

Ela sounded the siren to end the challenge. When the last four Potentials finally arrived back at the rendezvous point, the others gathered round to commiserate.

None of the bottom four had got as far as recalibrating their maps. They hadn’t thought of it. Chanya had actually managed to stumble on a sphere by chance but hadn’t been able to secure it. All of them accepted their elimination with good grace.

“Who came in first?” asked Borth.

“Layahn,” said Lyrith. “Though I hear Kara was the first to figure out how to complete the challenge.”

“It’s not who figures it out first, it’s who crosses the line first,” observed Hespia. Kara knew she was right.

There were two more rounds to go and she had to be more careful. She’d underestimated an opponent and it had nearly cost her everything. It wouldn’t happen again.