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Chapter 12
By AC
The robot shuttle set down in a valley just south of the city; gravitic engines guiding it down silently. The only sound was the *thud* as it touched ground.
Inside, Paula disentangled herself from her hiding place. /Next time,/ she thought while rubbing her shoulder, /I should remember to bring a cushion./
At least nothing was broken, which meant that, aches aside, she could proceed with her plan as soon as possible. /And what was that?/ asked a voice in her mind, but Paula ignored her doubts for the moment. The main hatch opened and she got her first whiff of the native air --
-- and sneezed.
Of course, she chided herself, reaching into her backpack for nose-filters. Most worlds had allergens that her body was unprepared for. One of the drawbacks of interstellar travel.
The rangers had arrayed themselves in front of the shuttle and now scuttled aboard, spiderlike puppets obeying their orbital master. Paula skirted by them.
As the last ranger started aboard, Paula decided for a slight change in her strategy.
"Not so fast Rover," she said to the ranger as she touched keys on her armband. The ranger stopped as it recieved conflicting signals, then turned and scuttled toward her.
"Good boy," Paula said, grinning. "Now let's get going. We've a world to save."
Lydon was halfway to the site of Ashley's escape when his cellular chirped at him. Frowning, he pulled it from his pocket. "Lydon."
"Dispatch. Chief wants you to check out something south of the District."
"I'm busy right now."
"Sorry sir. Chief says it's important. We're getting reports of something coming down in the valley; some of the witnesses are a little jumpy. He wants you to investigate, put them at ease."
"I can tell you where to put them you--" Lydon stopped himself. This was an official police transmission, which means that it was probably being recorded. Calm and professional, he reminded himself. "I'm on that case the Ministry handed down, the one they marked MOST URGENT. I doubt the Chief would want to explain to them why I was asked to chase some light in the sky."
"Sir?"
Lydon was getting impatient. The patrolman indicated that they had arrived.
"I'll send a patrol over there," he said finally. "But that's all the Chief's getting from me. I can't drop this case." He cut the connection before the dispatcher could say anything else.
"Tassar, Byrce," he said to the two other patrolmen at the scene, "Head to the south part of the district; there's something weird the chief wants you to check out."
Both officers agreed, leaving immediately. Lydon smiled. Whatever that thing was, it had at least removed a couple of potential witnesses for him. He was a little freer to act now. Revenge, after all, was a dish best eaten alone...
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