Deathstalker 04 - Deathstalker Honor

those who need help than I can stop breathing. In the end, honor defines us all. Because without honor, our lives would have no meaning at all.” Owen listened, and wanted so desperately to believe, but still couldn’t be sure. And then the three of them looked up sharply as all hell broke loose in the jungle around the Mission. Owen and Hazel drew their guns, forced aside their tiredness, and ran for the outer wall. People ran alongside them, rubbing too little sleep from their eyes and shouting questions no one had answers for. Owen and Hazel sprinted up the wooden steps that led to the catwalk inside the top of the outer wall, and looked out across the clearing at the jungle beyond. The light from the Mission didn’t penetrate far into the dark, and there was no moon above to light the scene. Hazel called for more light to be brought. Owen listened intently to the commotion raging in the jungle, but couldn’t make any sense of it. Were the Hadenmen fighting each other? Soon the catwalk was packed with people, most of them holding up torches or lanterns, and for the first time movements could be seen in the jungle, of dark forces rushing back and forth. And then the first screams came out of the jungle, in the unmistakable buzzing tones of Hadenmen, followed by the familiar deadly sound of energy weapons discharging.
    Owen strained his eyes against the dark and the rain. The clearing was utterly deserted. Whatever was happening was limited to the jungle. He could hear screams and cries of anger, and the sound of people running, crashing through the heavy foliage. Dark figures could be seen fighting and struggling. They might have been Hadenmen. But there were other shapes too, dark and indistinct, moving too fast to be defined. And where they went, the screaming rose anew. Mother Beatrice pushed in beside Owen.
    “What is it, sir Deathstalker? What’s happening out there?”
    “Damned if I know. But at a guess, I’d say someone or something is kicking Hadenmen ass. And doing a damn good job of it.” “Could they be reinforcements? Marines perhaps?” “I don’t think so,” said Hazel. “The attackers don’t seem to be using guns. And they don’t move like anything human. Are there any creatures on this planet that we don’t know about, Mother Beatrice?”
    “No. Nothing at all.”
    “I have never heard a Hadenman scream before,” said Owen. “What could be so deadly, so terrible, than even the Hadenmen are afraid of them?” “Well, you could always go out and take a look, but if you do, you’re going on your own,” said Hazel firmly. “I’m not putting one foot outside this wall until there’s enough light to see what I’m aiming at.” “The Hadenmen have disrupters,” said Mother Beatrice. “It doesn’t seem to be doing them any good, does it?”
    The tumult in the jungle suddenly broke off, the last few screams choked off. The crashing and the thrashing stopped, and there was no sign of movement anywhere. The night was completely still, and the Mission’s defenders stood silently on the catwalk, listening to nothing but the crackling of torches, the endless pattering of rain on the roof, and their own massed breathing. The jungle was dark and calm, holding its secrets within. “Well,” said Owen finally. “At a guess, I’d say that whatever it was, it’s over now. I think we’d better post double guards for tonight, on three-hour shifts. Everyone else, go get some sleep. Just because a few Hadenmen apparently got their just deserts, it doesn’t necessarily mean we won’t be facing a whole army of the bastards out there tomorrow.”
    “Shouldn’t we send someone out to check for bodies?” said a voice farther down the catwalk.
    “After you,” said Hazel, and snorted, unimpressed, when there was no response. “Any bodies can wait till the morning,” said Mother Beatrice. “Everything can wait till the morning. The Deathstalker’s right; post the extra guards, and everyone else get some sleep.”
    And since no one ever argued with Saint Bea, the watchers slowly dispersed, going to find what rest they could before morning. Owen and Hazel headed for the nearest steps, and ran into Bonnie Bedlam and Midnight Blue coming the other way.
    “A good performance,” said Bonnie. “I felt like applauding.” “Don’t mind her,” said Midnight. “She’s just being herself. What do you think just hit the Hadenmen?”
    “I couldn’t make out much,” said Owen. “But