Deathstalker 07 - Deathstalker Return

that. It's very Upsetting."
    Oz opened the airlock, and Lewis was first out, as always. He hit the ground, gun and sword in hand, his personal force shield buzzing on his arm. He barely had time to look around before what seemed like the entire monster population of the planet came charging out of the jungle from all directions at once, heading straight for him. The air was full of furious roaring and screaming from wide mouths crammed with far too many teeth. Oz opened up with every weapon the Hereward had, blasting the creatures into meaty chunks before they'd got halfway across the clearing. The charge broke up immediately, the surviving creatures disappearing swiftly back into concealing jungle.
    Interesting, thought Lewis. Intelligent behavior. Mindless animals would have just kept coming, not understanding the extent of the threat. And they certainly wouldn't have all retreated together. If they've learned to cooperate, we could be in really deep shit.
    Lewis looked slowly around him as the rest of his people emerged from the airlock to join him. The whole jungle was suddenly very quiet, and Lewis could feel the pressure of watching eyes. The air was unpleasantly hot and humid, and stank of spilled blood and rotting meat. Gravity was a little lighter than standard, and the light was the color of blood. At the clearing perimeter, the dark-boled jungle trees were protected by rows of heavy spikes and barbs, and their long dangling branches were weighed down with clusters of thick pulpy leaves of a sickly purple-green. There were huge overripe flowers everywhere, blossoming in clouds of bright primal colors: solid yellows and blues and pinks. Gaudy,
    rather than attractive—but then Shandrakor wasn't a subtle planet. Insects buzzed noisily, thick clouds of them occasionally surging out of the trees and into the clearing. Some of the monsters had begun calling to each other again, a savage mixture of high-pitched cries, long sustained hootings, and grunts so deep Lewis could feel them in his bones. It sounded very much like they were talking to each other, and perhaps they were. Lewis just hoped they weren't discussing strategy.
    "Ugly place," said Jesamine, standing beside him. "Seriously ugly, with a side order of revolting. What is that smell?"
    "You don't want to know," said Lewis. "Turn on your force shield, Jes."
    "They've stopped attacking."
    "They could start again anytime. Do it for me, Jes."
    "If it'll make you happy, darling…"
    "I like this place," Saturday said happily. "It's like coming home. If only there were some mists, and a lot of mud and some half-eaten corpses lying around to play with, it would be perfect."
    "Can I vote that the reptiloid not be allowed to speak again, ever?" said Brett. "This is a terrible place! It stinks. Literally. Damn it, the smell's so bad I can taste it! And it's hot. Again. How come we never go anywhere with air-conditioning?" He bent down to pick up a single leaf that had been carried into the clearing along with the attack, only to immediately swear loudly and throw it away again. "Bloody thing's got razor-sharp edges! It cut me! Oh, God, I'm going to develop some disgusting jungle disease, I just know it. Probably have all my extremities swell up and drop off. I think I'd better go back to the ship and have a little lie down, just in case. You can't be too careful…"
    "Stand still, man," said Lewis, smiling in spite of himself. "How come it always happens to you, Brett?
    Look, from now on, don't touch anything. I know that goes against your nature, but do try."
    "Don't see why you need me anyway," the con man said sullenly. 'There's nothing here to steal, and I do not do monster fighting."
    "I want you around in case we have to crack some computers at the Standing," Lewis said patiently.
    "Jenny Psycho said there might be weapons and tech there we can use. Oz, have you been able to make contact with the Standing?"
    "Not a thing yet," said the AI. "If the castle is here, it's really well shielded."
    "All right, close the airlock and take the Hereward back up into orbit. Let me know the minute any other ships show up here. And be ready to swoop down and pick us up at a moment's notice."
    "Understood," said the AI. "Have fun!"
    The Hereward lifted smoothly into the air, and then shot up into the sky and was quickly lost to sight.
    Brett looked after it yearningly.
    "How far is it to where the Standing crashed?" said Jesamine.
    Lewis grimaced unhappily. "Well, now