Healing Time by Craig Robertson

Author:Craig Robertson [Robertson, Craig]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Imagine-It Publishing
Published: 2021-05-29T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

If at first you don't succeed ...

We did slip away without further incident. The guilt trip I laid on old Sulmac worked its magic until we were at least back in our home universe. And yes, I was so pissed at Sachiko I could hardly see straight. For two billion years I'd been the spontaneous, often reckless risk taker. In the past I'd have just jumped from one parallel universe to another in search of premium quality blue-green algae. But ever since she planted that damn drop of doubt in my mind about returning to the "correct" universe, I'd been subject to uncontrollable bouts of exercising reasonable caution. Curse that woman! How could she do that to me, a scoundrel and a happy gambler?

After a brief sojourn to our universe—confirmed six-ways-to-Sunday I guarantee you—we set off for another universe Toño had felt was a good prospect. I asked him why he labeled it a good prospect. He explained why, but he did so in Science Geek, not English. So I really can't say what made it a prime target. Maybe it tasted good? Who knows? But that's where we went.

We arrived no closer to the Milky Way than we had the last time out. It took us a little longer, but eventually we IDed our galaxy, and then Earth. Knowing full well there was almost certainly a Deavoriath Empire here too, we proceeded with a lot of caution, but there was no way around us needing to fold in and maneuver. Luckily, and that is what I credit the most, all three scientists from the first expedition were willing to go on the second one. As shaken as they'd been, they were troopers. The stakes were high and they wanted to do their part.

Before you knew it, we were back on terra firma. The only difference was that this time out Lakeisha had a full squad of eleven under her command. Yeah, once bitten and all that. For the record, I had zero trouble getting Sergeant Parker to lead the security detail. She was anxious, not from concern but from wanting to shoot someone. No way I could have kept her bottled up on Aramthella. She was an adrenaline junkie just like me. All the military training was boring, but the prospect of live action was a siren's call to many. At least until your first smash-up with hostiles. After that everybody with a functioning brain knew combat was to be avoided like the gates of hell.

As soon as the full membrane that ferried us to the surface was down, I scanned the area and issued some orders. "Sergeant, set up a defensive perimeter. And I want two rifles up on the outcropping."

"On it, sir," Lakeisha snapped back. "Okay, Hosier and Delephant, you heard the general so do not keep him waiting. Get up on that hill. Stay sharp. Anything even thinks about moving shoot it before it gets the chance."

"Roger that," Hosier replied quickly and the two scurried up the ridge.

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