Marooned - Chapter Nine
Posted By: Steve Ollett<sollett@clydematerials.co.uk>
Date: 22 December 2003, 12:53 PM
Read/Post Comments
|
M A R O O N E D - CHAPTER NINE
------------------------------
0557HRS 08-OCT-2552 (MILITARY CALENDAR)
SECOND PLANET OF ACKWAZE SYSTEM.
AT ENTRANCE TO CANYONS, EDGE OF DROPSHIP LZ.
The charred remains of the Warthog lay at the mouth of one of the canyons, resting on the driver's side in a large area of sand and silt that was littered with rounded boulders of varying sizes. The back end of the vehicle had melted and congealed together, whilst the front end of the vehicle appeared to be virtually undamaged. The same could not be said of the driver.
"The back end took a direct hit from a fuel rod gun I'd say." said O'Shea walking around the half melted Warthog. "Poor guy didn't stand a chance."
"No shit." said Ryan, as he leaned over the charred body of the driver and attempted to remove the soldier's tags. The heat from the blast had melted the chain into the driver's neck.
"No other tracks here other than two Grunts heading the opposite way." Said O'Shea, looking at the ground around the wrecked Warthog. "That means someone fired from on top of the cliffs up there..." he said pointing up above them, "...or the Covies have got at least one Banshee flyer."
"Banshees? Shit. That's all we need." said Ryan as he yanked on the chain around the driver's neck.
Finally the tags came away with a sickening tear of the burned and blistered skin. Ryan tasted bile in his mouth and fought back with all his might against the overwhelming desire to vomit.
Ryan examined the tags. He knew of this man, it was Corporal John Coultas, of Sergeant Guerra's fire-team. They had been assigned to look after the second science team on the surface. The poor guy had died a terrible death; burned alive and flash-melted into the chassis of the Warthog.
"Was anyone on the LAAG?" Ryan asked.
"Hmmm, if they were, there's not much left." said Garrett who had until now, remained silent. "The main reason why I called you guys out here was to get O'Shea to check out the front wheel assembly here and see if we can cannibalize it for other Warthog we left behind before we got to the LZ."
"Ok then." said Ryan, "Get onto it. Work quickly, we don't have much time!"
-----
0635HRS 08-OCT-2552 (MILITARY CALENDAR)
SECOND PLANET OF ACKWAZE SYSTEM.
INSIDE CANYONS, FOLLOWING TRAIL OF COVENANT GRUNTS
"I do not think this is a good idea Sergeant." said Zoran as he walked behind Ryan and Stocks in the early morning gloom of the canyon. The gradient gradually increased as they progressed deeper inside.
"You suddenly become a military expert have you?" laughed Stocks as he momentarily broke off from scanning the top of the canyon walls with his sniper rifle.
"No, but I am a geology expert, Mr Stocks" Zoran replied smugly.
Ryan stopped. Lowering his assault rifle, he turned to face the scientist. "Okay Zoran. I suppose this is the bit where I get the geology lesson. So what's wrong then?"
"The lakebed we just left is from an ephemeral lake." answered Zoran.
"A what?" said Stocks.
"A feature created by seasonal rains, if I remember correctly. Is that right Zoran?" Ryan asked.
"Impressive, Sergeant Ryan." Zoran replied, "You are correct, but I fear you have missed some other important details."
"Like what?" said Ryan inquisitively.
"The triangular silt deposits at the mouth of the canyons? All of those boulders strewn around as well?" Zoran asked.
Ryan kicked one of the smooth pebbles littering the canyon floor. "Your point being?"
"The triangular areas of silt are alluvial fans, and these aren't just canyons, they're Wadis." Zoran Replied.
"Crap!" Ryan exclaimed, suddenly recalling the significance of the situation.
"Will somebody let me in on what's going on here? What the hell is a Wadi?" Stocks said, irritated at being in the dark over the subject matter.
"A Wadi is an Arabic term for these canyons, Mr Stocks." Zoran replied. "Unfortunately they are subject to flash-flooding. That is the reason why you see the silt materials and boulders deposited at the mouth of the Wadis. If there have been rains recently, then we are in danger. More people die in deserts due to flash-flooding than those who die because of lack of water!"
Stocks looked at Zoran in disbelief, and turned to Ryan. "He's pulling my leg, right?"
"I wish he was Stocks." Ryan said, scratching the stubble on the side of his chin, "Yesterday when we picked up Zoran in the valley, I heard thunder, and saw dark clouds over this direction."
"That could have been the dropship exploding and the smoke from the wreckage." Stocks replied.
"Well, I'm not taking any chances." said Ryan as he slung his assault rifle over his right shoulder, "We're going to have to climb up the canyon walls."
|
