Legend Rising : A Space Opera Series (Galactic Guardians Book 1) by Jonathan Yanez

Author:Jonathan Yanez [Yanez, Jonathan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Archimedes Books
Published: 2022-09-13T04:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-SIX

The plan was to move out slowly and methodically as we searched the area. Each unit would set out to go four miles into the jungle, and then return to the ship before dark. Our aerial support would double that number, reaching eight miles in every direction and mapping the terrain before they, too, returned.

I found myself in the middle of the column of Ursonians between Rima and Tem. The interior of the jungle was so dense and the Ursonians so massive, a pair of the large soldiers took turns in the lead forging a path for us through the underbrush.

This pair of trailblazers was swapped out every mile for a fresh pair of arms as they used their Mauler T-19’s as brush-clearing tools.

Not only was I much smaller than the typical Ursonian, but since they were clearing the path for us, my job was pretty easy. I walked along in the column, eyes open and alert.

The sounds of the jungle were like nothing I had ever experienced. Clicks and ticks from insects mixed with throaty caws from the colorful birds overhead. I even thought I saw some kind of monkey-like creature swinging from tree to tree.

It was wonderful and worrisome at the same time. Who knew what could be in the brush? It wasn’t long before we caught the trail of whatever had been moving through the jungle in front of us.

The column stopped short as a clearing twice the width the one the Ursonians made for us opened out to the south. Trees had been pushed to the side and bushes trampled underfoot. The dark rich soil under that was nearly black, stomped with heavy footfalls.

I heard a series of clicks over the radio unit Rima gave me. The small circular piece of alien tech was a sticker thing, and I forgot I was wearing it behind my right ear altogether.

“The captain has found something, come,” Rima said to Tem and me.

We moved up the column to the front where Captain Akel pointed to a particularly clear track stamped deep into the soft soil. It was huge. I could stand in the single print with both my boots comfortably and have room to spare.

“Whatever it is came through here recently,” Rima said, crouching down to inspect the print. Her hand was dwarfed by the track. “We should follow.”

“That is not what I was thinking at all,” I answered. “We should let this creature go ahead and go home or wherever it’s headed. It didn’t bother us.”

“She’s right,” Bull said, coming up from my right. “It’s an easy path for us to follow and not have to cut through the brush for the next few miles.”

Captain Akel motioned to two of his scouts. In a moment, they were gone down the path, fearlessly headed after whatever creature made the prints.

“Well, on the upside, at least these aren’t Tulrog prints,” Tem offered. “It would be worse if they were Tulrog prints.”

We continued on with the jungle so dense around us, at times it was difficult to see the suns through the canopy.

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