Dune Cruiser

Torrullin sprawled next to Vannis, choking on the dust, eyes streaming. Gadgets flicked past him…and gave him an idea. ‘Vannis,’ he coughed, ‘we have to make a run for it…but not with our feet…’ Gingerly crawling forward into the destruction across the heaving floor, with Vannis warily watching the buckling walls, large chunks of masonry falling about them, Torrullin aimed at the dune-cruiser he and McSee had delighted over.

There was not much time. Margus’ bomb had weakened the structure of the cavern, and there was no guarantee the cruiser would ever function again, but neither could they run fast enough to escape a crushing in the tunnels. That, however, was not the worst of their problems. The danger lay in the spreading fires, flames that could soon lick at some pretty awful weapons, and the resultant explosion would render Margus’ bomb puny…no doubt his plan. Torrullin hit the ground when a rapid rat-a-tat-tat sounded- bullets, he surmised, bursting in the fire. He lifted his head, nearly choking now on smoke and dust. The cruiser used solar power and if he could simulate the sun’s rays, if the heat from the fire didn’t melt the ancient cells first, they could race out of here…he crawled quickly, seeing the silhouette…

Two of the tyres were flat and the rubber of all four was fragile with age, but that did not matter. A smooth ride was the last thing they could expect now, and careening off the walls was better than a slow crushing. Working quickly, aware of every passing moment, in the smog-like atmosphere he felt for the solar panel and concentrated. Moments later he leaned into the metal frame of the vehicle and searched for the ignition wires. Ripping them out, hoping he had it right, he touched the wires together…and was gratified to hear the engine roar to life.

‘What the hell…!’ Vannis shouted as an otherworldly creature approached him through the dust and smoke, wearing Torrullin’s face in its belly, roaring like a wild cathron.

‘Get in behind me; we’re riding the hell out…’ Torrullin was grinning like a madman, adrenaline pumping.

Shades of Shadow