Hellworld by Green Simon R

Author:Green, Simon R. [Green, Simon R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction, Space Opera
ISBN: 9781936535057
Publisher: Jabberwocky Literary Agency
Published: 2013-08-18T16:00:00+00:00

Megan DeChance and the two marines stood at the edge of the city. A row of tall, jagged towers stood like a barrier before them, dark and enigmatic in the bright midday sunlight. DeChance rubbed at her forehead. Just the sight of the alien structures was enough to give her a headache. Her esp kept trying to make sense of the insane shapes, and failing, unable to embrace theories of architecture and design shaped by an inhuman logic. The marines shifted impatiently at her side. DeChance tried her comm implant again.

“Captain Hunter, this is DeChance. Please respond.”

“Still nothing?” said Corbie.

“Nothing,” said DeChance.

“You could try your esp,” said Lindholm.

DeChance stared at the alien city, trying to pretend she hadn’t heard him. Making telepathic contact was the obvious, logical thing to try next, and she couldn’t explain even to herself why she was so reluctant to do so. She only knew that just the thought was enough to make her break out in a cold sweat. She could still remember the contact she’d made back on the pinnace, the first time she’d raised her esp on Wolf IV. She’d found something huge and old and powerful, something vile and awful… and it hadn’t been alone. Whatever it was, she was sure it lay waiting somewhere in the city. Waiting for her to raise her esp again, so it could find her….

But she had to locate the Captain. She had to know what was happening to the other team. And most of all she had to face her fear, or she’d never be free of it. She could do it. She was an Empire-trained telepath, and she could face anything. She closed her eyes, and sent her mind up and out, spreading across the city. At first she went tentatively, ready to withdraw behind her shields at the first hint of danger, but the city seemed still and silent and empty. She spread her esp wide, but there was no trace of the Captain or his team. Or the disturbing presence she’d sensed earlier. She dropped back into her body, and staggered uneasily for a moment as her headache returned, worse than ever.

“Nothing,” she said bluntly. “Not a damned thing. Either the Captain and his people haven’t got here yet, or…”

“Or what?” said Corbie.

“I don’t know.” DeChance frowned thoughtfully. “I picked up something; nothing more than an image, really, but it might be significant. You can’t see it from here, but there’s a huge copper tower in the middle of the city. I think it’s important in some way. Either to us, or to the city. We’ll head for that. It’s not much of a goal, I know, but it beats standing around here in the cold.”

Corbie and Lindholm looked at each other, but said nothing. DeChance steeled herself, and led the way forward into the alien city. The marines followed her silently, guns in hand. Buildings of stone and crystal and metal loomed around them, shutting out the bright sunshine. Strange lights burned in open windows, colors slowly changing hue to no discernible pattern or purpose.

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