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slowly drowned on his own blood。 The black fingers remained clasped around his neck almost
lovingly until his heartbeat fluttered and stopped。
Then the black figure released its grip； and the sergeant slid to the ground。
Solon ran towards the control cabin of the ice…crawler； barging workers out of his way。 The sirens in
the claustrophobically narrow hallways were deafening； and he winced and clamped his hands over
his ears as he ran past one of the blaring klaxons。
A burly orderly； his overalls covered in oil； ran into Solon as he rounded a corner； knocking him
back into the wall。
“Sorry； boss；” said the man； helping him back to his feet； and Solon pushed past him。
He vaulted a steel banister； landed on the gantry below and ran on； turning to the right towards
the control cabin。 His boots rang out sharply as he climbed a short flight of stairs； and slammed the
door to the control cabin open。
“What in the hell—” he began； but his words of reproach to the relief driver died in his throat。
A fist…sized hole had burned through the side window of the cabin and driven through the drivemechanics
on the wall opposite； leaving a smoking hole that dripped with molten metal。 The driver
was slumped back in his seat； half his head missing； the devastating blast having clearly passed
through him when it had struck。
Solon gagged at the stink of burnt flesh； but moved into the cabin； trying not to look at the
corpse； and failing。 There was no blood。 Whatever had struck him had cauterised the wound
completely； forming a blackened crust。 The blast had hit him in the temple； and everything in front
of the line drawn between his ears was missing； down to his mouth； which was drawn in an almost
comical expression of shock。
Tearing his gaze away from the corpse； Solon moved to the control console。 It was dead； no
lights flickering along the length of its panel at all； and he swore。 He flicked a few switches；
muttering an entreaty to the Omnissiah； but nothing happened。 He balled his hand into a fist and
stuck the console。
“Come on； damn you；” he swore。
Red warning lights flickered； the needles of the dials wavering back and forth； and Solon let out
a surprised laugh of success。
His small victory was short…lived。 A beam of solid darkness punched through the side of the
control cabin； destroying the console in a shower of sparks。 Cables and wires were fused by the
lance strike and flames exploded outwards with immense force； shattering the already ruptured
plasglass windows of the cabin and hurling Solon backwards through the cabin door。
Thrown backwards down the stairs leading to the cabin； the flesh of his face and arms blistering
from the heat； Solon hit the deck hard。 Frantically； he fought to rip his thermal undershirt off； for the
synthetic material was melting onto his skin。 Shaking the smoking； skintight shirt loose； he hurled it
away from him； and began to stagger back。
71
The crawler； the closest thing he had to a home since he had been expelled from Sholto guild
eighteen years ago； was beyond redemption。 It was dead； and the vultures were circling outside to
descend on its carcass。
He had to get away。
Rounding a corner； he almost ran headlong into Cholos； with the frightened boy Dios in tow。
“Solon；” began his second； his face panicked。
“Not that way；” he shouted； turning the man around and pushing him before him。 “The crawler’s
done。 We have to get the hell out of here。”
Screams and shouts echoed up through the corridors； and Solon and Cholos fought their way
through panicked workers。 The crew looked to Solon for guidance。
“Get your exposure suits on；” the overseer bellowed。 “We stay here and we are all dead。”
Or as good as； he thought； thinking of the distinct lack of bodies aboard the crippled crawler
they had come across just hours earlier。
“Damn；” swore Cholos。 “My suit。”
“Where is it？” asked Solon。
“In my locker；” answered his second。 “But Solon； the refugees… there are not enough suits for
them all。 We can’t leave them。”
“We stay here and we die。”
“But all those people？”
Solon swore and punched the wall； bruising his knuckles。
“What do you want me to do； Cholos？ I can’t save them； and with the generators down； they’re
going to freeze to death as surely in the cargo bays as out on the ice。”
“There must be something we can do；” said Cholos。
“Well； if you come up with something； I’m all ears。 Maybe that bastard Folches can call in
support from the Skyllan Interdiction； or something。 I don’t know。”
Cholos let out a long breath； and rubbed a hand across his face。
“Take Dios； Solon；” he said。 “I’ll meet you down below。 I’ll be quick。”
Solon looked down at the boy； who was staring up at him with wide eyes； and swore。 Cholos
dropped to his knees。
“Go with Solon；” he said slowly to the boy。 “He’ll see you safe。 You understand？” Dios nodded
solemnly。
“That’s the way；” said Cholos； ruffling the boy’s short…cropped hair as he stood once more。 “I
won’t be long。”
“I’ll meet you on deck three；” said Solon。
“I’ll be there； boss；” replied Cholos； giving Solon a tense smile。
“You’d better be；” said Solon； and slapped his second heavily on the shoulder； urging him to
move。 “Go。”
Cholos ducked through a side hatch； and Solon glanced down at Dios once more。
“Come on； boy。 Move；” he said； gruffly。
The boy gave him a salute； his face serious； and the two of them set off towards the cargo bays。
It took them the better part of five minutes to move from the crew area to the cargo holds； passing
through twisting corridors and past dozens of panicked crewmen。
Punching the locking plate of cargo bay three； the door hissed open and swirling wind struck
him。 Screams were lost in the gale roaring through the cargo hold； and Solon saw that one of the
cargo bay hold doors was wide open。
Through the blinding snow and ice； Solon saw a dark shape hanging in the air outside； hovering
four metres above the ground。 It was sleek and black； with wicked blades and spikes protruding
along its sides； and it rocked slightly as the winds buffeted it； like a ship rolling on the open sea。
72
Black figures； taller and slimmer than a man were dragging people kicking and screaming
towards the skiff hanging in the air outside。 As he stood frozen on the spot； transfixed by the horror
of what he was seeing； a struggling woman was knocked to the ground by a backhanded slap； and
hauled towards the gaping cargo bay door by her hair。
A score of people were already trussed up on the mid…deck of the skiff； lying in a moaning pile；
their hands bound behind their backs。
One of the black figures turned its faceless helmet towards Solon； and he felt a fear that he had
never before experienced as the reflective eye lenses bore into him。
The figure barked a word in a language that Solon could not understand； spun on its heels like a
dancer and swung something up from its side。 With a flick of its arm it hurled the object towards
him； spinning it end over end。
Even as the dark figure cast its weapon； Solon was backing away； and he tripped over the boy；
Dios； who was clinging to one of his legs。 Solon fell； swearing； and the spinning weapon scythed
above him to strike one of his crewmen who had come up behind him。
The man fell； gagging； his hands clutching at the weighted wires wrapped around his neck。 A
flicker of energy coursed along those constricting wires and the man fell； convulsing violently； to
the ground。
Scooping the boy up in his arms； Solon punched the door panel； bringing the hatch slamming
back down； and turned and ran； leaping over the twitching figure on the ground。
The other cargo bays were to the left； the engines to the right； and Solon paused for a second； not
knowing where to go。 The boy wrapped his arms around Solon’s neck； burying his face against his
chest； and a pair of Solon’s crew came running down the stairs towards him； their faces fearful。
“Run；” shouted Solon； and as he heard the hatch behind him slide open he made his decision；
turning and bolting to the right。
The pair of crewmen stood staring behind Solon； firstly in incomprehension； then in dawning
horror。 There was a rapid sound like air being expelled； and one of the men collapsed； his left leg
peppered with tiny splinters that tore through his overalls and the flesh beneath。 The other man
turned to run； but he was too slow and splinters shredded his legs from under him。 His agonised
scream followed Solon as he ran into the engine room； slamming his shoulder against the wall as he
rounded a sharp corner。
The massive twin…engines were silent； and he raced between them； his heavy boots echoing
loudly。 Steam billowed up from beneath the walkway grid； where the massive drive shafts and gears
of the crawler lay dormant and motionless。 He swung around to the right； and grabbed the metal
rungs of a narrow ladder that climbed one of the inner…hull walls。
“Hold on； boy；” he said； and the child tightened his grip； clinging to Solon like a limpet。 With
his arms free； Solon pulled himself up the ladder； expecting at any moment to be cut to shreds by the
enemy。
Half way up； he leant out from the ladder and tried to loosen the access hat