Quest for the Well of Souls - Jack L. Chalker [65]
"Unless they've already been through here," Vistaru responded, obviously worried.
"Better than more blind searching," the Yaxa noted, and they decided to act on Renard's plan. After putting down for a half-hour or so to give themselves a break, they went aloft again.
It was past midday when something finally happened.
"To the right!" Wooley yelled. "Mucrolians chasing something! Two objects!"
At first, neither of the others saw what she had spotted, for the Lata are nocturnal and Renard's eyes were only average, but they followed the Yaxa.
"There!" Renard finally called out; he pointed, leaning forward in his saddle.
A half-dozen or so Mucrolians were chasing two smaller dark objects across the yellow-white flats. It was no contest; the natives were much too fast for their prey.
"It's Mavra!" Wooley shouted, the rising tone generating the first emotion they'd heard from the normally impassive butterfly—excitement.
Renard reached over and pulled his long rod from its scabbard, which hung from Domaru's great neck.
"Make sure I don't get shot!" he told the others. "I'm going in!"
On the ground the six Mucrolians were tiring of their chase and were closing in for the kill when they heard the beat of mighty wings just above them. One turned and looked up, and yelled to its comrades.
Mavra Chang also spotted them, and knew immediately who they must be, although the Yaxa was a surprise. She had no intention of being taken; she took the moment as the Mucrolians turned to face this new threat and dashed across the flats as fast as she could, Joshi following.
One of the Mucrolians raised its rifle and was suddenly struck hard by a small object. Vistaru came in feet first, hitting the creature in the snout, then plunging in the stinger.
This momentarily drew the attention of the pack from Renard, and they turned.
Domaru made a low pass and Renard struck out with his tast; the thousands of volts stored in his body flowed down his right arm and into the rod. It struck one and there was a bright flash as the warrior screamed and fell.
These were not well-coordinated soldiers, though; they were desperate refugees and the attack confused them. When Renard acted, they turned once again to deal with him; another rifle barrel rose, and Vistaru struck again.
Renard simultaneously leveled another of the beings with his tast. Although they had sidearms, the two remaining Mucrolians panicked completely and dashed for cover at full speed.
Renard laughed triumphantly and descended near the bodies. Vistaru landed daintily on Domaru's back.
"Whew!" she breathed. "Haven't done anything like that in years!"
"You should talk!" Renard laughed. "Just like old times again, though! We haven't lost it!" Suddenly his grin faded. "Where's Wooley?"
He turned and looked around, as did Vistaru. "There!" she almost screamed.
The orange wings were off in the distance now, heading for the Alestolian border.
"We've been double-crossed!" Renard snapped. "While we did the fighting, she got Mavra!"
Pursuit was automatic, but fruitless. The Yaxa was every bit as fast, if not faster, than Domaru, and Vistaru was good only for short sprints at high speeds. Every minute that passed increased the distance. They crossed into Alestol, where the country was green—and deadly. Below, huge barrel-shaped plants paralleled their course and waited for them to come down.
"It's no use!" Vistaru told him. "I know where she's headed, and we're being played for suckers!"
He didn't want to give up. "What do you mean?"
"She's heading for the Zone Gate of Alestol. Taking them to the Yaxa embassy at Zone. At the same time, we're being sucked farther and farther into Alestol, which was on their side in the war. We'll have to land sooner or later for water or rest, and those gas-shooting plants will get us and eat us, so we have to get out—now! Besides, she's already pulled us a tremendous distance from the nearest Zone Gate we can use!"
Renard resisted the obvious, but she was right. Their best move, as soon as it was clear that Wooley was