SGX-04 STARGATE ATLANTIS: Lost Queen by Melissa Scott

Author:Melissa Scott [Scott, Melissa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Space Opera, Media Tie-in, Science Fiction
ISBN: 9781905586745
Publisher: Fandemonium Books
Published: 2015-12-27T00:00:00+00:00

They made their way cautiously up the slope, skirting the webs and the remains of the two iratus bugs, and then scrambling awkwardly up the steep slab of rock that jutted out of the ground, showing bands of dark stone in a pale matrix. It led to another, and then a broader, less tilted stretch, and Everlasting lifted his hand in warning. Blaze stopped instantly, a step behind and two arms-lengths to his left. The others, Forge and Salt and the two humans, straggled to a halt behind them. Above them, the slope evened out enough that a handful of stunted trees clung to the slope, their branches clogged with shreds of silk, and beyond them a shadowed opening led into the hill. A boot protruded from beneath the nearest tree, the familiar black shape of a blade’s gear. Blaze hissed at the sight, and Everlasting lifted his hand again.

*Wait. We must consider our approach.*

He felt Blaze’s agreement like banked fire. *Below the trees. There are no webs there.*

*And also our line of escape should the nest swarm,* Everlasting said, as though the other hadn’t answered.

Below him, Salt stirred. *I believe I can hold them. I can feel them now.*

*And our queen?* Blaze’s tone was sharply afraid.

*No.*

*Which means nothing,* Everlasting said. He looked over his shoulder at the waiting humans. “We must get closer.”

Sheppard gave a short nod. “I’m seeing a body up there.”

“So do we all.” Everlasting considered the slope, shaping a mental picture for the others: to reach the cave, skirt the edge of the stones, being careful not to slip down into the webs that filmed the shrubs at its lower edge.

*I will try to reach the injured,* Forge said, and Everlasting nodded.

*Salt will weave the hive to stasis if he can, and then we will see what we find. If we rouse the nest…* He pictured their best escape route, across bare stone and along the curve of the hill. It was not ideal, the footing poor and the line steep, but surely the Lanteans’ weapons would hold back the iratus long enough to make good their escape.

*Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that,* Forge muttered.

Everlasting ignored him, and spoke aloud, wishing that there were some easier way to convey his plan to the humans. “We will track along the edge of the rock until we can see the cave, and Salt will — stun them. If anything goes wrong, we will retreat the way we came, and then back along this ridge. If you cover us with your weapons, there is a chance we will all get away.”

“You’re not making me feel real good about those odds,” Sheppard said.

“It’s the hunt we have,” Everlasting answered, and to his surprise the Lantean gave a wry grin.

“Yeah. Do me a favor and don’t upset those things, ok?”

“We will do our best,” Everlasting answered, and started up the slope.

He took his time on the approach, stopping often to check for the fine-spun bands of webbing that the iratus used to warn the nest of intruders.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.