Deathstalker 01 - Deathstalker

day, staring into a monitor screen?"
    "Frankly, yes."
    "Come on, we'd better start moving again." Owen tried to force some confidence into his voice. "Only a quarter of a mile to go."
    "Wait a bit longer," said Jack Random. "If we wear ourselves out too quickly, we'll never get there. We have to pace ourselves." Owen looked at him, surprised. The old rebel sounded much fresher and stronger than he had. Random saw the look and grinned easily. "I've done this before, lad. Couldn't tell you how many jungles on how many planets I've hacked my way through in my time. You have to learn to spread your strength, so it's there to be called on when you need it. Don't worry about the screen and the guns. Either they'll hold out, or they won't, and either way there's nothing you can do about it. Save your energy for problems you can solve. Like making sure the path you're cutting is as straight as you can get it. Even a mild curve could put us miles off course."
    "I'm watching the compass," said Owen. "We're dead on course. Listen, if you've got any other wisdom to offer, don't be shy about sharing it. I'm new to all this, and I'll take all the help I can get."
    "Good attitude, for a leader," Random said approvingly. "You're doing fine, Deaths talker. Lead from the front and we'll follow."
    "Speak for yourself," said Ruby Journey. "I wouldn't trust that inbred aristo to
    lead sheep to slaughter."
    "Interesting choice of phrase, my dear," said Random. "Perhaps you'd care to modify it, given our current position?"
    "No, I wouldn't. And I'm not your dear."
    "That's for sure," said Hazel. "You've never been anybody's dear."
    "I've never been anybody's fool, either." Ruby glared at them all impartially.
    "I should never have let you talk me into this. I could have made a perfectly good fortune just handing you over to the authorities. Instead, I'm stuck in the middle of a bloody jungle, light-years from anywhere halfway civilized, with no provisions and no bloody ship. I should have shot you all on sight."
    "You did try," said Owen.
    "You wouldn't shoot me, Ruby," Hazel said briskly. "I'm your friend."
    Ruby looked at her. "The rewards on all your heads would buy me a lot of friends."
    "Not the kind that matter," said Random. "It's a lonely place, this Empire, without friends to watch your back."
    "Friends are a luxury," said Ruby coldly. "Like faith, politics and family. They always let you down, in the end. The only person you can ever really trust is yourself. I'd have thought you'd have known that, after all the times you got your ass kicked by the Empire. Your great rebellion is over, Random."
    "It's not over till I say it's over," said Random. "As long as I refuse to give up, they haven't beaten me. The strength of rebellion lies in the heart, not in armies."
    "Nice sentiment," said Ruby. "I'm sure they'll put it on your tombstone."
    "Thank you, Ruby," said Random, smiling charmingly. "That's very good of you.
    Time to get moving again, Deathstalker. If we've got the energy to argue, we're
    rested enough to start up again."
    He rose easily to his feet, looking calm and relaxed and ready to go. Owen was surprised to find he'd gotten his second wind while they were talking and got to his feet with only minor winces. He put out a hand to Hazel, who ignored it and got up unaided. Owen didn't even try to offer his hand to Ruby. The bounty hunter rose up as lithely and effortlessly as she'd sat down, her face cold and calm and untouched by any trace of passion. Owen smiled, hefted his sword thoughtfully, and turned back to the vegetation blocking his trail. If he had to be stranded on an unfriendly world, he was glad he was accompanied by fighters, not quitters. He was especially pleased to see Jack Random coming to life again.
    This was more like the legendary rebel he'd heard so much about.
    Ruby moved up alongside to help. Owen wasn't too happy about having the bounty hunter that close to him with a naked blade in her hands. She made him nervous.
    She had the cold poise of an Investigator, and the unrelenting malice to go with it. Owen had absolutely no doubt that she would have killed him in a second back on Mistworld if Hazel hadn't intervened. He was also pretty damn sure she'd turn on him in a moment if she decided it was in her best interests to do so. She'd have made a good aristocrat. He kept a watchful eye on her until she decided they'd made enough ground, then dropped back to walk with the others. Owen breathed a little