To The Stars

“I’ve got Lee Ciou in train two back on. Here he is.”

“Jan, can you hear me? Jan…”

“What did you find out, Lee?”

“I’ve talked to the other car They’re shouting a lot and don’t make sense, but I don’t think anyone’s dead. Yet. The car has some broken windows, but Chun Taekeng is taking over evacuation to this car More important, I’ve got through to the engineer on the internal phone circuit.”

“Did he tell you what’s wrong?”

“It’s very bad. I’ve patched you through to him on the radio circuit.”

“All right. Vilbo, are you there? Vilho Heikki, come in.

The radio sputtered and crackled, and a distant voice was audible through the static.

“Jan… there’s been a crackup. I was in the engine room when we started sliding all over the Road. I heard Turtu shouting something — then we hit. Something real solid. Then the water and Arma…”

“Vilho, I’m losing you. Can you talk louder?”

“Real bad crackup. I started up the ladder when I saw the water. It was coming through the hatch. Maybe I should have got them out. But they didn’t answer… the water was coming in. So I slammed and sealed the hatch lid.”

“You did the right thing. You had the rest of the train to think about.”

“Yes, I know… but Arma Nevalainen… she was co-driver.”

There was no time for Jan to think about it. That his plan for the women to help drive had just killed one of them. He must think only of the others still in danger aboard the train.

“Are you holding power, Vilho?”

“Solar in the green. The engine is tilted forward at a sharp angle. We must have nose-dived into the swamp. All the driver’s controls, the radio, are knocked out. But the generator is still turning over, cooling fins topside must still be out of water, and I can supply train power from here. For a little while more

“What do you mean?”

“Air conditioning is out in here, too. Temperature going up pretty fast.”

Hold on. I’ll get you out as fast as I can.”

“What are you doing?” Alzbeta called after Jan.

“The only thing possible. You’re in charge until I get back. Any problems, Ryzo will help you. When the tanks arrive direct them to the engine of train two and I’ll meet them there.”

While Jan climbed into a coldsuit, Emo made a tight bundle of a second suit.

“You should let me go, Jan,” he said.

“No. Keep the power up. I have to see what can be done back there.”

He exited as fast as he could through the rear door of the engine room and heard it slam shut behind him as Emo shut out the burning air. Without haste — but without any waste motion — Jan unshipped the cycle from its housing, strapped the coldsuit into place, then lowered it onto the Road. Only then did he realize the sickening nature of the surface.

It was a charnel house behind the engine. The alien creatures had been crushed, smeared, destroyed. A few maimed survivors, still driven by some unknown urge, were struggling painfully toward the jungle. The thick blue flesh and blood of the others coated the road. It was bearable just behind the engine, but when he swung aboard the cycle and started back past the row of stationary cars it quickly became worse. The wide wheels had worked appalling destruction. Where the cars had skidded, great smears of crushed bodies coated the surface. Finally he had to steer to the inside of the curve of the Road, skirting the burned areas, to find enough surface to ride upon. It was dangerous here, but there was no other way to get by the carnage. Very slowly he went past the train and back into the bend in the Road.

Something very large, clawed and deadly, lurched out of the jungle toward him.

Jan had only a glimpse as it reared up; he threw full power into the rheostats and the cycle screeched forward, pulling away from the creature, skidding wildly as it bumped over the recent corpses. Jan fought for control, skidding his boots through the slippery muck, risking a quick look back over his shoulder. He slowed. The beast was feasting on the crushed bodies and seemed to have forgotten him.

Train two was ahead; a frightening sight. The cars were jackknifed over the entire width of the Road and into the jungle on both sides. The engine was over the edge and nose down in the swamp.

The destruction on the Road was forgotten now as Jan threaded his way toward the engine. The cause of the tragedy was instantly apparent. A great tree had been burned, then dozed off the Road. It had stopped. the engine from plunging headlong into the water. But in stopping it, a thick, broken branch had punched through the armored glass of the front port. It had been a quick death for the drivers.