Omina Uncharted by Roland Starr

Author:Roland Starr [Starr, Roland]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Endeavour Venture
Published: 2019-07-17T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER VIII

The computers aboard Orion were still controlling the shuttleship, and Vonner could only attempt to set the craft on even flight as the attack caused violent disturbances of the atmosphere. Curran moved to the mounted Othic projector, but could see nothing outside the craft. He shrugged his big shoulders helplessly and returned to his seat, and Vonner knew a moment’s despair as he realised that they should never have left the security of Orion's force fields.

But it was too late to take such an attitude, and he knew it. He was intent upon saving the life of this planet at great risk to his own, and the only way it could be accomplished was by contacting the Zukons personally.

Den Thol was relaxed in his seat, and Vonner wondered at the Pravan’s sense of fatalism. But they were flying smoothly now, and no further attacks developed as they descended into the fiery atmosphere of the volcanic planet. Vonner leaned back in his seat. Den Thol had prepared the command computer to land them at a spot where he figured they would be able to contact a Zukon outpost, and the shuttleship would put itself down on the calculated spot without help from anyone inside.

“We’re getting close to the planet’s surface,” Vonner said, and his tones were quiet but tense. He saw Den Thol glance at him, and met the Pravan’s gaze steadily. “I hope we’re going to find dry land.”

“I think we will. My figures and calculations were accurate. We’d better brace ourselves for the landing.” They did so, and a few moments later the retro-rockets blasted briefly and they settled down fairly evenly on hard ground. The motors died and silence came around them.

Vonner moved to a porthole and peered out into darkness. The shuttleship heaved slightly, as if they had dropped down upon the back of an awakening monster. But they heard no sound through the heavily insulated hull of the craft. There was flickering light out there in the hostile darkness, and Vonner could not help shivering a little as he stared at great gouts of red flame leaping skywards through murky clouds of smoke and volcanic ash.

A volcano was furiously active some miles away, belching out flame and smoke, and again the shuttleship tremored as it felt the force of this natural eruption.

“We can do nothing until daylight,” Den Thol said. “We must prepare to leave the ship at first fight.”

“We are defenceless against attack if we should be spotted,” Vonner said. “If there is vegetation around the ship perhaps we can use some of it to cover the fines and general shape. At day-light the Zukons will be looking for us. They must have monitored our landing.”

“We could not work in our space suits out there,” Den Thol said, shaking his head. “I think the only thing we can do is get away from the ship and fie low.” Vonner agreed with that, and he called Orion on the ship’s communicator. Silence followed his voice, and he frowned as he awaited a reply.

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