Joe Devlin: And the Renegades’ Toil (Space Academy Series Book 5) by James Thomas

Author:James Thomas [Thomas, James]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 2021-02-21T00:00:00+00:00

***

Below him, Joe heard the shriek from an animal very familiar to him. Locating his helmet light, he switched it on. Ice covered the ground and sides of the cave’s tunnel. The shaft was packed with snow, blown in from the cave’s entrance from surface winds pushing the snow deep within, where it had melted and then refrozen into a colossal ice slide.

Joe was still facing backward. He directed his light sideward and pivoted against the wall. Another shriek filled the air, making Joe wince. It seemed close. Joe tried to stop his forward movement, but the speed was too fast. The path widened into a slope. Joe turned his head to the right, then the left as he slid, panning the area for Sadar and Robert. He was descending what looked like an internal mountain slope.

Further below him to Joe’s right, a large bushy object came into view, then disappeared. Its size frightened Joe, but it appeared to be moving faster and away from Joe.

“Sadar,” yelled Joe while he tried to stop sliding, but to no avail. He was hoping the bushy object was a friend, but he knew better. Instinctively, Joe leaned away, trying to create distance from whatever it was and the bottom of the cave, which seemed endless at this point. Suddenly, Joe started to lose momentum, finally coming to a stop.

Joe sat up. Then he heard a thump just a few steps away.

“Oh! That hurt,” said a voice.

“Robert? Is that you,” replied Joe.

Moaning followed by, “Is that the traitor?” confirmed Robert’s identity.

“Really,” said Joe directing his helmet light in the direction of Robert’s voice.

Robert was on his back with his legs curled over his head. Joe was lucky enough to have stopped before smacking against the cavern’s wall. However, Robert’s weight kept his speed higher, making his impact certain.

Joe laughed. “Well, you look like that wall beat ya up, Robert. So, I’ll let that last comment go for now.”

Another shriek, more distant, filled the air forcing Joe to turn his light toward the sound.

“Well, thanks,” said Robert. “I’ll just figure out what end is up in the dark.”

“Hush,” said Joe. “I know that sound.”

Robert could be heard moving before he spoke again. “I think I’m right side up or at least sideways.”

“Be quiet,” said Joe again in a hushed voice. “Do you want it to find us?”

“Oh, you’re talking about that shrieking sound!” said Robert. “I hit something on the way down. Thought it was one of you guys at first. Anyway, I ended up launched into the air and away from whatever it was, but that was a little way up.”

“Robert,” said Joe loudly. “Shut up! For an adult on a planet you have never been to, you are already playing with our lives.”

The shriek seemed to reply to Joe’s loud voice.

Robert followed Joe’s light as it illuminated the icy slope they had slid down. The bright light revealed the slope, which curved downward, expanding its width with distance. The beam moved upward past a large object before returning and stopping.

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