All right, Santee put his hands on the back of the carrier, put away that torch and start pushin! Heres where we give them lizards a big surprise-a nasty one, too, I hope!
Dard dropped the torch and put his hands beside Santees. Together they set their strength against the immobility of the carrier. It moved, much more easily than it had before. There was a low hum which became a steady purr. It gathered speed-moving away from them.
Weve started it to workin! Santees exultant cry arose to explain. He caught Dard and held him away from the entrance as the carrier sped on.
There was a shock of impact followed by a hissing scream. Then they saw the clear circle of daylight marking the entrance, carrier and besiegers were both gone!
8. DESSIES MERMAN
WHEN NOTHING moved across that circle of light, they dared to retrieve their packs and go out.
The carrier had plunged full speed ahead, leaving the curve of the monorail. Under it, but crushed legs pinned to the sand and rock of the valley floor, threshed one of the monsters, writhing over the torn remains of the one Santee had shot earlier. Leaping out of the reach of the prisoned creatures darting head the Terrans rounded its body and made for the opposite wall of the canyon.
Here the rock afforded holds and they pulled themselves up. But the lizard crushed beneath the car appeared to be alone and nothing menaced their retreat. Panting they reached the top and dared to look back.
Below the monster still fought insanely against the carrier which held it down. But if there were others of its fellows alive they had not joined it. Santee wiped his steaming face with the back of a hand.
I still dont know how we got outa that one, kid. It was sure a close call.
Too close. I want to catch up to the sled before we run into any more of those murdering devils.
Yeah, Santee pulled ruefully at the sling of the rifle.
Next time I go walkin Im gonna have a lotta ammo! This here countrys got too many surprises.
They set out at a sober pace, too exhausted by their exertions of the past hour to hurry. It was dusk growing into night before they found their way down a rise into another grassy plain. In the distance was a massed shadow of what could only be a wood.
Would they have to fight their way through or around that, Dard asked himself drearily. But a light reassured him. There was a campfire down there. Cully had landed the sled this side of the barrier.
As Santee and Dard dragged themselves wearily into the circle of firelight they were met with a flood of questions. Dard was too tired to try to answer. He ate and drank and crawled into his bedroll before all the tale of their adventure of the afternoon had been told. Kimber was very sober when it was complete.
That was too close. Well have to go better armed when we explore. But now that we know there is no civilized threat to our colony it may be some time before we return this way. Tomorrow the sled will ferry us over the forest and the cliffs and we shall be home. Those are our cliffs there.
Home, Dard repeated that word in his mind, trying to associate it with the sea valley, with the cave house of the star voyagers. A long, long time ago home had had a good meaning. Before the burning, before the purge. But his memory of that halcyon time was so dim. Then home had meant the farm, and cold, hunger, the constant threat of danger. Now home would be a cell hollowed out of a colored cliff on a weird world generations of time away from Terra.
In the morning he lazed about the camp with Santee while Cully, after a last tune-up of the limping engine, lifted the sled toward the sea with Kimber as the first passenger. It was an hour before the sled returned and the engineer ordered Dard into the listing craft. They flew slowly, skimming the barrier, and Cully did not take him all the way down the sea valley to the cliff house, but dropped him with his pack at the edge of the ancient fields.
Dard swished through the tall grass. He could see people moving in the distant fields, more of them than had been about when he had left. More of tthee sleepers had probably been aroused.
Then a clear, lilting whistle announced the boy, some years younger than himself, who came driving before him three calves. He stopped short when he caught sight of the battered explorer and smiled.
Hi! Youre Dard Nordis, aint you? Say, you musta had yourself a time-seein them ruined cities and the lizards and all! Im gonna go out and see em, too-when I can get Dad to let me. Im Lanny Harmon. Can you wait til I stake out these critters? Id like to go back with you.
Sure. Dard eased his pack to the ground and watched Lanny tether the calves in the pasture.
They sure do like this kinda grass, the farm boy explained as he came back. Hey, let me carry that there pack for you. Mr. Kimber said you had a big fight with some giant lizards. Are they worsen those flyin dragons?
They sure are, Dard replied feelingly. Say, is everybody awake now?
Everybodys thats goin to. A shadow darkened the boys face for a moment. Six didnt come through. Dr. Skort-but you knew bout him, and Miz Winson, and Miz Grene, Looie Denton and a coupla men I didnt know. But the rest, theyre all right. We were awful lucky. Whee- look out!
Dard overbalanced as he tied to stop in mid-step and landed on the ground beside Lanny who had squatted down to sweep away the grass and display a dome of mud- plastered leaves and grass.
What in the world?
Lanny chuckled, That theres a hopper house! Dessie, she found one yesterday and showed me where to look, Watch! He rapped smartly with his knuckles on the top of the dome.
A second later a hoppers head popped out of the ground level door and the indignant beast let them know very plainly its opinion of such a disturbance of the peace.
Dessie, she got a hopper to stand still and let her pet him, My sister Marya-now she wants a hopper-says theyre like kittens. But Ma says they steal too much and we aint gonna bring any in the cave, Id like to try to tame one, though.
They detoured around a field of the blue-pod grain, meeting the harvesters working there. Dard shook hands with strangers, bewildered by all the new faces. As he went on he asked Lanny:
How many are there of us now?
Lannys lips moved as he counted. Twenty-five men- counting you explorers-and twenty-three women. Then therere the girls, my sisters, Marya and Martie, and Dessie and Lara Skort-theyre all little. And Don Winson, hes just a baby. Thats all. Most of the men are down rippin up the ship.
Ripping up the ship? Why did that dismay him so?
Sure. We aint gonna fly again-not enough fuel. And she was made to take apart so we can use parts of her for machine shops and things like that. Well-here we are!
They came out on what was now a well-defined path running up to the main entrance of the cave. Three men were working on a swinging platform suspended from the top of the cliff, fitting clear glass into a hole ready to receive it as a window:
Dardie! Dardie! Dardie!
A whirlwind swept down upon him, wrapping thin arms about his waist, burrowing a face against him. He went down on his knees and took Dessie into a tight hug.
Dardie, she was sniffling a little. They said you would come an Ive been watching all the time! Dardie, she smiled at him blissfully, I do like this place! I do! There are lots of animals in the grass and some of them have houses just like us-and they like me! Now that youve come home, Dardie, everything is wonderful-truly it is!
It sure is, honey.
So there you are, son, Trude Harmon bore down upon him. Hungry, too, Ill wager. You come right in and rest and eat. Heard tell that you had yourselves some excitin times.