Metamorphosis - Jean Lorrah [43]
Even as it registered that that was the case, Data had no time for speculation; the other bird was closing on them, screaming avian curses as it delivered a blow to Data’s bird’s neck with its sharp beak, then grappled in midair, trying to grab the android’s dangling legs.
Data kicked and squirmed, seeing a chance to escape-until he looked down. They were over the lake!
He ceased struggling and tried to grab the claw that gripped him, just as the attacking bird dealt another blow to his captor’s head. Stunned, the bird loosed its grip and plummeted. Data’s only chance was to dive for the shallows.
He let go, twisting out from under the great falling body and trying to use wind resistance to fall at an angle, but his weight was too much for friction to have much effect in the short distance he fell. He landed in the chasm, reaching desperately for the side, kicking with all his strength: The water closed over his head as exposed circuits shorted out and his sensors exploded in overload.
His hands struck the side of the chasm, mirrorsmooth and slippery. Clawing for a nonexistent hold, Data sank.
WATER FL4WED INTO DATA. His circuits went berserk. His body twitched helplessly, convulsing, diminishing to occasional spasms as he sank into the chasm beneath the lake.
So this is death.
Claws grabbed him.
One of the birds had dived in after him!
He was dragged helplessly upward, twitching and writhing, water draining from fissures in his synthoskin. As the last sparks spit and sizzled, the bird gripped him more firmly. His damaged skin could take no further abuse; what was left on his back flayed o@.” and fell away as water poured out of him.
Data was vaguely aware that they were no longer over the lake, but his remaining sensors could not give him an accurate reading. He hung helpless in the bird’s claws, limp as a puppet with its strings cut.
He heard shouting, could not make it out-then the bird carrying him screamed.
It was a scream of pain, not challenge.
The claws loosed their grip. 119 Data fell again-this time onto a rocky surface. Unable to break his fall, he landed on his side with a jolt, one leg flung over the other, arms spread wide, eyes and mouth open. Dust from the impact entered his eyes, nose, mouth. Sensors warned” of potential damage, but he could not blink or move his jaw.
After far too long a pause, the fluid which cleansed his eyes emerged—too much, dripping over his nose and cheek as he lay helpless. Finally he could blink, although there was a perceptible delay between his autonomic system’s issuing the order and its being obeyed.
He struggled to close his mouth… and slowly succeeded. There was sand between his teeth.
Footsteps, a shadow. Thelia’s voice.
“Data! Data, are you alive?” He was aware of his body vibrating slightly seconds before the feel of her hand on his shoulder registered. Thelia scrambled over him, to peer into his face. His eyes focused on hers. She saw that, and smiled.
“You’re alive! Oh-1 hope that means you can be repaired!”
By whom? he wondered, but could not say it. With a supreme effort, he moved the arm that was pinned beneath him a few centimeters, allowing him to fall over onto his back.
Unfortunately, that movement drove even more sand into his exposed components. Some seconds later, his diagnostics confirmed it. The sand might be bad news, but the fact that some part of his diagnostic system was still operative was good.
He had no strength to use the vocal apparatus which made him sound like an organic being. With an effort, he managed to say, “I … must … recover.” To his ears, the words sounded like mistuned subspace radio through an ion storm. What must they sound like to Thelia?
She understood, though. “As you did after you jumped through the flames?” she asked. “I understand. I’ll guard you.”
Guard? he wondered, but could not focus on the question because systems which should operate automatically demanded conscious attention. His