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foolhardy to enter such an inferno.
Starbiter had chosen to halt when we got sufficiently close, like a horse
reluctant to venture too near a fire. I too was beginning to think we had
approached to an acceptable distance near enough to see great curling
streamers of flame shooting into the void, and mysterious darknesses drifting
across the brighter surface like icebergs on a burning sea when I caught a
flicker of motion out the corner of my eye.
Materializing beside us, lit by the searing light of the sun, there was the
stick-ship again.
Retreating Star-ward
I do not know if I unconsciously gave an order to Starbiter, or if she moved
on her own bolting from something that frightened her. Either way, we took a
big hop up and over the sun, as if we were jumping a small rock in the middle
of a path.
Hah!I thought,now find us; for even if the stick-people had uncanny viewing
devices that perceived great distances, I did not believe they could see us
straight through the sun. Alas, I was mistaken almost immediately, the alien
craft appeared again and this time directly behind our ship, like a massive
brush barrier walling us off from open space, penning us against the sun
itself. All around the outer edge, sticks began sprouting outward, growing at
a prodigious rate... until the whole alien vessel resembled a hand with
hundreds of outstretched fingers, and we were almost cupped in the palm.
What to do? Starbiter was certainly swift enough to zip around those fingers
and out to freedom; but the stick-ship seemed able to track us no matter where
we went, and if we headed for open space, could we outrun the alien in a
straight contest of speed? I did not know. Even if Starbiter was faster in a
short sprint, could she stay ahead of the big ship hour after hour, as we
blundered through space in search of safe haven? I did not know that either...
but I disliked trusting to luck.
Back!I ordered.Back into the sun!
The Zarett retreated reluctantly, halving the distance between us and the
roiling ball of fury at our backs. For a split second, the stick-ship fell out
of sight... but then it appeared closer than ever, a monstrous hand reaching
out to grab us.Back! I ordered.Back all the way! Because I thought to myself,
which is more likely to catch fire first: a damp Zarett ball, or a great
bundle of sticks? It was simple logic that the stick-folk would be in greater
danger than Starbiter, if they insisted on chasing us all the way into the
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flames, they were fools who could suffer the consequences.
We skipped backward in a series of hiccupy motions, zipping a short distance,
stopping to see if the stick-ship followed, then retreating farther when our
pursuer reappeared.
I could not tell if the aliens were truly teleporting after us, or just
moving so quickly they seemed to come from nowhere. Starbiter and I traveled
quickly ourselves, each backward hop so fast I could not perceive the
transition: the sun simply ballooned a little larger with each jump, its
prominences wilder and more threatening, its dark spots looming ever nearer.
With every jump, I sensed greater fear in the Zarett. She showed no damage
from the heat looking down at her body, I could see no sign she was burning or
even turning the slightest bit crispy but like most lower animals, Starbiter
seemed cowed by the very presence of fire. Each time I ordered her to retreat,
I felt her reluctance growing.There, there, I thought in my most soothing
way,it is all right, good girl, do not worry you will be burned to a cinder
and disintegrate into howling ash... but there came a time when even such
encouragements could not overcome her terror: when I said,Jump, she did not
move.
Move now!I thought again. It had no effect. She stayed where she was,
trembling, as the stick-ship shot into view.We must move, I told her
desperately,or we shall be captured.
Starbiter did not budge. Perhaps she did not care if we were captured... or
killed, or whatever these Shaddills wished to do with us. To be honest, I was
not sure what we feared from them; but they had shot Uclod and Lajoolie
despite my pleasant message of friendship, so I assumed they were most awful
villains, intent on doing us harm.
We had been stationary long enough that the other ship was nearly on top of
us. Once again, the long tube-stick began telescoping outward, its mouth open
wide enough to swallow Starbiter whole. I could see absolutely nothing inside:
complete blackness, more inky than the darkest night sky. All around, the sun
cast its blazing light, washing out every possible shadow on the alien ship,
even the shadow Starbiter should have cast against the ship's belly... but in
the mouth that wanted to eat us, the darkness was stronger than light.
"You foolish Zarett!" I yelled aloud. "Do you wish to be gobbled by the
enemy? You must run now. You must fly straight into the sun. Go!"
Still Starbiter refused; and in my ear, I heard a whispery voice, nearly lost
amidst crackle and hiss. "Oar... wait... you will die..."
It spoke to me in my own language, not the English it had used before. For
some reason, I found that unsettling as if these Shaddill ones were my
personal foes, not aliens whose grudge was against Uclod.
"Go away!" I yelled at the whisperer. "Go away, or Ishall fly into the sun."
An idea struck me. "If we burn up," I said, "it will be your fault for chasing
us. You will be branded as Callous Murderers, pursuing us to our deaths. What
will the League of Peoples think aboutthat, you poop-heads? Will you enjoy
their wrath?"
"Oar..." the voice whispered.
"Go away," I said. "Go far away and leave us alone. Otherwise, I shall fly
into the sun and the League will know you as killers."
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For several seconds, nothing happened... except that the stick-mouth slowed
its approach, as if it were no longer quite so confident about swallowing
us.Be wary, I thought to Starbiter.They may wish to lull us into a false sense
of safety. If anything happens, fly into the sun immediately. No more mulish
hesitation.
I could feel my heart beating in my chest. Thud... thud... thud... then two
things happened almost simultaneously.
First, the stick-ship vanished like a bubble going pop.
Second, Starbiter reacted. More precisely, she leapt in total startlement...
being a creature of limited brain, and not aware that wewanted the stick-ship
to vanish.
So we jumped straight into the sun.
6: WHEREIN I DEFEAT THE ENTIRE HUMAN NAVY
Not Burning Up At All
It is very very bright inside a sun. There is brightness in all directions.
It must also be quite hot, but I did not feel any unusual warmth. I felt
nothing except the straps binding me to my chair and the never-changing sense
that I was sitting up straight.
Still, I am certain such a largish fire must be an Inferno Of Hellish
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