Deathstalker 01 - Deathstalker

the control button with her elbow, and the hatch began to close. The heavy steel weight moved remorselessly forward, cutting slowly but firmly through everything that got in its way. Gradually the hatchway grew smaller, and the larger creatures were forced outside. The hatch finally slammed shut, and the remaining smaller creatures were trapped in the airlock. Owen and Random fought back to back, cutting down the vicious alien life as it struggled to get at them. Random fought well, Owen thought, for an old man. Hazel and Ruby were also fighting back-to-back, and making a bloody mess of anything that came within reach. The horrors fell, one after the other, large and small, until finally it was over. Owen slowly lowered his sword and leaned against the bulkhead wall, panting for breath. It seemed very quiet in the airlock now, though the air was thick with the stench of blood and death. There were bodies everywhere, and blood dripped from every surface. Behind Owen, Random was coughing up something large and juicy. Hazel and Ruby were leaning on each other for support and glaring about them, swords still at the ready.
    "Moon," Owen said harshly. "He's still out there."
    "Then he's dead," said Hazel. "And so would we be, if we were stupid enough to go out after him."

    "Not necessarily," said Ruby. "He is a Hadenman, after all."
    They all looked up sharply as the sound of energy guns firing came dimly to them from somewhere close at hand.
    "Could the Empire have found us already?" said Hazel.
    "It's not the Empire," said Owen. "Oz said we were alone down here. I think those are our guns; Sunstrider's guns. That's why we can hear them, even with the hatch closed."
    "But who's firing them?" said Random. "Your computer is supposed to be shut down. Have you been keeping something from us, Deathstalker?"
    "Oz, is that you?" Owen waited, but there was no reply. The guns suddenly stopped firing, and it was very quiet in the airlock. "I'm going to look outside," said Owen.
    "Is this wise?" said Hazel. "After what happened the last time I opened the hatch?"
    "The guns should have cleared some space around the ship," said Owen.
    "And if they haven't?"
    "I don't give a damn. Moon's out there. A Deathstalker doesn't abandon his people."
    He hit the hatch controls before anyone could raise further objections, and they all turned their guns on the opening hatch. Crimson light spilled into the airlock again, along with the channel stench of the jungle. Even the light's the color of blood, thought Owen. What kind of place have I brought us to?
    Everyone braced themselves against another invasion of bloodthirsty creatures, but all was still and quiet. The hatch ground to a halt at its furthest extension, and Owen peered wearily out. There were dead aliens everywhere, torn and tattered and piled up around the ship, but no signs of life or movement
    anywhere. The surrounding jungle was a mass of conflicting vibrant colors, predominately scarlet. The sky was mostly hidden by a thick canopy of branches overhead. There were huge towering trees and gushing vegetable shapes everywhere, all spines and barbs and overripe flowers. And then something moved among the heaps of the dead, and Owen snapped his gun to bear before he recognized who it was. It was Moon, standing at the side of the ship, hip deep in carnage, covered with alien blood and looking inordinately pleased with himself.
    Owen jumped down from the airlock and made his way toward the Hadenman, clambering awkwardly over the heaps of bodies. The creatures ranged in size from gossamer insects the size of his hand to huge forms easily twenty feet long.
    None of them looked in very good shape. The ship's energy guns had torn them literally limb from limb. At such close range they never stood a chance, but Owen couldn't bring himself to feel any sympathy. The smell was appalling, and he did his best to breathe through his mouth. He reached the Hadenman, and Moon nodded to him calmly.
    "About time I had a decent workout. I think I'm going to like it here."
    "All right," said Owen. "What the hell happened out here?"
    "I tapped into the ship's systems through my commlink, overrode the computers and took control of the fire systems. Then I had them blast everything that moved, while I sheltered among the bodies. Quite simple, really."
    Owen looked at him. "That shouldn't have been possible. Even with Oz offline, the security codes should have kept you out of the systems."
    "I overrode