Tarizon, The Liberator, Tarizon Trilogy Vol 1

  27

  The Drogal's Last Stand

  The sound of choppers in the distance sent a chill down Peter's spine. He looked behind and saw them coming in the distance. There were five of them flying in formation—five Model 28 Bosch Technology or BT 28s as they were more commonly called. Each of them were equipped with laser canons, rockets, and machine guns. Red looked back and then looked at Peter nervously.

  "The mine should be right over that ridge up ahead," Sy said. Let's make a run for it."

  There was no argument to Sy's suggestion. They all began running as fast as they could up the hill. The sound of the BT28s was growing louder as they scrambled toward the crest of the hill. Peter prayed that Sy was right and when they reached the top they'd see Shaft 22 just ahead. Suddenly there was a high pitched sound that meant only one thing—rockets were on their way.

  "Take cover!" Tam screamed as he dived behind a fallen tree. Peter looked back and then scrambled in behind him. Sy and Red found a large boulder and flung themselves behind it. There was a thunderous explosion ahead of them. Debris flew through the air and fell everywhere. A tik later there was another explosion and then another.

  "Come on," Peter said. "We can't stay here. We have to get to the mine. He peered up over the fallen tree and saw the BT28s bearing down on them. "Come on! There's no time to lose."

  Staying low he began to run again, closer to the trees this time, toward the crest of the hill. Tam was at his back and Sy and Red were running up the other side of the path. Finally Peter reached the top and as he looked out expectantly, praying Shaft 22 would be just ahead, his heart nearly exploded in despair. Ahead, circling like vultures, were more than a hundred Drogals, waiting to devour them before they could reach the mine. "Screeeekchaa . . . Screeeekchaa . . . Screeeekchaa!" they shrieked.

  "Oh, Sandee! No!" Red cried as he reached the ridge.

  Tam looked at the circling beasts and then back at the choppers rapidly approaching. Sy sunk to his knees and began to pray.

  "Sy. You and Red make a run for the mine," Peter ordered. "Tam will cover you with his laser and I'll use my rifle. Use your pistols if any of them get too close."

  "But it's hopeless," Red moaned in despair. "There's no way we'll get through."

  "There's no time to lose. Go! Now!" Peter yelled.

  Sy nodded and gave Red a shove, "Come on. Get going. It's the only chance we have."

  Sy took off and Red reluctantly began running behind him. Peter knelt down and put his rifle to his shoulder. One of the Drogals swooped down and headed straight at Red. Tam hit the big bird with his laser and feathers flew, but the bird was only momentarily distracted. "Screeeekchaa," it screamed and resumed its course. Peter knew there was little chance he could kill the bird, but he thought if he even grazed its skin, that would be enough to drive it off. He aimed his rifle at its foot and squeezed the trigger. The heat seeking bullet hissed as it rushed toward its target. Peter held his breath until he heard "Screeeekchaa . . . Screeeekchaa" and saw yellow blood spraying from the Drogal’s severed claw. The bird dropped to the ground and hobbled around in pain.

  For one brief moment Sy and Red stopped to watch the mangled Drogal, then they began to run once again. Peter looked back and saw troops being dropped from the choppers. A dozen were already on the ground and moving toward them. Bullets began to shoot past them. Looking at Sy and Red again, he saw they were nearly at the mine, but another Drogal was swooping down on them. Tam shot his laser again but with no measurable effect and Peter realized he was too far away to get off an effective round.

  As the Drogal was about to snatch Red and carry him away, Sy aimed his pistol at the bird's jagged head and fired. "Screeeekchaa," the bird wailed. "Screeeekchaa . . . Screeeekchaa." Dazed by the shot the bird flew around in circles. The distraction was just long enough to allow Sy and Red to make it to the mine. They both knelt down and motioned they were ready for Peter and Tam to come.

  Tam didn't hesitate. He started running toward the mine. Peter looked back and saw the soldiers were but a hundred yards away. A bullet hit the ground beside him spraying him with dirt and pebbles. Peter lifted his rifle and shot twenty rounds at his pursuers. One of them fell and then another. As he watched, a bullet grazed his arm sending a surge of pain through him. He grabbed where he felt the pain and fell to the ground.

  His arm was bleeding, but he didn't think it was serious, just painful. He had to move but his body felt like it weighed five hundred pounds. Another bullet passed by his head triggering a shot of adrenalin that got him to his feet. He stumbled forward toward the mine. "Screeeekchaa," a feathery monster screamed overhead. "Screeeekchaa. . . Screeeekchaa," another one echoed. Sy's laser hit one of the birds catching its feathers on fire. The bird flapped its wings frantically but the effort only made the fire become more intense. The other birds looked on in horror as their fellow Drogal burned and finally fell to the ground. Peter hoped the bird's plight would scare the other Drogals away, but just the opposite happened. They seemed only to be angrier and more determined to kill them all.

  Peter started to run again but only took a few steps when he felt the vice grip of a Drogal on his shoulder. He pulled him forward and then lifted him off the ground. Peter struggled and tried to shoot the Drogal with his pistol, but in the struggle he lost his grip and the pistol fell to the ground below. Just as he was about to accept his doom, he heard the sound of a chopper. Looking up he saw a B28 Attack Chopper blocking the Drogal's escape. The bird darted to the left nearly pulling Peter’s arm out of its socket. Then the bird flew straight at the chopper. There was a tremendous collision which knocked Peter out of the Drogal's grasp and onto the ground. The fall knocked the wind out of Peter and left him momentarily helpless. He looked up and saw the chopper swing around wildly, out of control. The bird and craft collided a second time and then there was a tremendous explosion. The blast caused the other Drogals to scatter giving Peter the time he needed to join the others at the mouth of the mine.

  "Now what?" Tam asked. "The mine won't provide any protection from infantry."

  Peter knew Tam was right. They could go into the mine but the soldiers would come after them. They could hide for a short time, hold them off with their rifles if they found them, but eventually they'd all die. There had to be another option. As Peter was frantically trying to come up with it, he heard "Screeeekchaa . . . Screeeekchaa . . . Screeeekchaa." The birds were back and they were livid! Fortunately they seemed to have forgotten about Peter and his friends and were swooping down on the soldiers from Pegaport pursuing them. One by one Peter saw soldiers grabbed by the big birds and taken away over the treetops. The other soldiers fired at them, but might as well been shooting paint pellets. Seeing their perilous predicament the other soldiers began to turn and flee back toward Pegaport.

  Sy raised his fist and yelled, "Yes! Thank you Sandee!"

  Peter smiled but before he could add his congratulations he heard the hissing sound of an oncoming missile. "Quick!" he screamed. "Back in the mine!"

  They scrambled back from the mine's entrance and hit the dirt. There was a tremendous explosion as the missile hit its intended target. Debris flew in every direction. Dust filled the air and made it difficult to see or breathe. Red began to cough as the ground shook spewing up clouds of dust. Rocks started to fall and the ceiling seemed poised to collapse. "Quick!" Peter screamed. "Move farther back into the mine. The ceiling’s about to go!"

  They all scrambled again, this time back well inside the mine. The ground grumbled and shook one last time before the entire entrance to the cave collapsed. Dust engulfed them although they could not see it in the pitch blackness. Peter coughed and wheezed violently as did the others. Finally the ground stopped shaking and silence engulfed Shaft 22.

  Peter pulled his night vision mask from his back pack and put it on. Looking around he saw that Red and Sy were lying on the ground seemingly dazed. Tam was standing, his night vision mask already in place. They looked at each
other's eerie heat signatures through their goggles. They didn't need to talk. Their minds quickly connected. They were trapped beneath fifty tons of rock. How would they ever get out? Fear griped them like a Drogal's claw. Was this to be their final resting place? Was this to be their common grave where they would spend eternity? Peter dropped to one knee, trembling violently, then collapsed into unconsciousness.