The Ascendant Stars - Michael Cobley [98]
Before he could rise and turn, strong, sinewy arms trapped him about neck and chest. He gasped, struggled ferociously and felt one of the arms loosen. But anticipation of escape was dashed when the attacker used his free hand to deal Robert’s head a stunning blow. Dazed, he was unable to resist as he was slung over one shoulder and carried off.
By the time his head cleared and he could see straight, he found he was sitting near the campfire, propped against a nearby boulder with hands and ankles tied. One of the dogs sat a few feet away, watching him with unnervingly pale eyes. The four prisoners, shorter and hairier than their captors, were down on their knees and in a line, each with a dog by their side. They trembled in fear as one of the tall bipeds approached the first, a male in rough woven garments, from the side. A lanky arm was raised, the spidery fingers grasping a small blade with a shining edge. The blade fell towards the back of the captive’s head. Robert couldn’t see what was being done but some moments later the biped tugged at a hank of the prisoner’s plentiful hair, as if pushing some of it aside.
Then the accompanying dog let its head hang forward. There was a slight tearing and the top of the dog’s head split open to reveal something grey, glistening and ridged. The greyness squirmed then crawled out of the dog and onto the long, bare arm now extended by the blade-wielding biped. Horrified, Robert had a frisson of surreal recognition – the grey thing clambering up that slender arm was a Vor, a member of the race of usurping symbiotes who were, with the Shyntanil, ascending the levels of hyperspace, attacking all who stood in their way.
Why am I seeing this? he thought. If this really is part of the Godhead’s subconscious, then what does it mean?
The Vor was placed on the prisoner’s shoulder by the tall biped. Robert was assailed by a wave of nausea as he realised that it wasn’t just the prisoner’s hair that had been tugged aside moments ago but a section of skull. The symbiote crawled out of sight, under the hair, and the prisoner at first gasped and looked around wildly. Then suddenly he froze, face twitching, his eyes staring into midair. Unable to look away, Robert was sickened by his knowledge that the Vor was literally eating its way through its host’s brain. Once the centres for personality and memory were consumed, the Vor would take control of its new vehicle.
By now the prisoner had slumped down, shoulders sagging, limbs jerking, his mouth drooling. The dog was a lifeless form laid out on the grass beside him. Then the prisoner was still for a moment before straightening, mouth wide in a bare-toothed grin as the tall prisoner cut his bonds, eyes full of a cold intelligence.
Robert had to watch the vile subjugation another three times before his turn came. The seven Vor approached him, led by the ‘surgeon’ with his blade, while the last remaining dog glared hungrily. Fear choked his throat, filled his chest, and he tried to crawl away. But the dog leaped to block his path, slavering and snarling.
Suddenly the dog jerked as its head sprouted a brass-coloured spike adorned with three small stabiliser fins. Its open jaws let out a high warbling sound before it pitched forward to spill blood on the ground. The other Vor crouched down, wary eyes scanning the surroundings for the source of the attack. The one nearest to Robert lunged in close to grab his leg and was about to drag him away when a second bolt struck the Vor in the back of the head, angled down. With a grating shriek, it sprawled on the ground, spasmed, and was still.
The rest of the Vor scattered and ran. With an effort Robert sat upright and watched their forms recede into the mists. And suddenly he realised that the rumbling was back, a low continuous noise in the background. Then, closer, he heard a rapid, fluttery humming from above, with the sense that it was descending. Looking up, he was surprised to see the drone Reski Emantes slowing to hover a few feet above ground.