The Hidden Treasure of Darfor

  ***

  For a while, a certain amount of calm descended on the structure built into the side of the large sand dune. From the outside, at any rate. The cargo ship was nowhere to be seen and most of the aliens who had been outside had gone back into the structure. Somewhere nearby, a native bird called out to another with a shrill noise. The plumes of smoke which had risen from the impact craters around the sand dune had dispersed and all was quiet.

  Then, all of a sudden, there was a loud crash noise as an explosion from inside the structure sent pieces of metal and large quantities of sand flying outwards from the sand dune.

  Saleek leapt out of the still smoking hole in the side of the structure and landed on the soft sand outside. He steadied himself and looked around with raised pistols before deciding that it was safe for the moment. Patrick cautiously climbed out of the hole whilst trying not to burn himself on the super-hot jagged edges which had been created by the explosion. Finally, Kracht clambered out of the structure to join them both. He nonchalantly tossed a stun grenade back into the structure, as well as a few rounds from his laser rifle for good measure.

  ‘Well, that’s one way to find an exit!’ exclaimed Saleek breathlessly as he pocketed his pistols and made sure that Patrick was all right.

  ‘You were takin’ too long to find a way out,’ said Kracht casually. ‘Plus those guys were gainin’ on us. What was I supposed to do?’

  ‘Never mind that. I’m sure they all heard that blast so everyone in the place is probably comin’ this way right now,’ said Saleek.

  ‘Let ‘em come. I say bring it on!’ said Kracht as he raised his rifle and grinned.

  ‘We can’t stay out here in the open for long. There’s no cover so we’ll be easy targets to hit,’ said the spiky lyan as he helped Patrick walk away from the sand dune.

  ‘Yeah, but so will they,’ pointed out the big warrior as he aimed his weapon at the smouldering hole in the side of the structure.

  One of the aliens climbed gingerly out but his feet had barely touched the sand before a blast from Kracht’s rifle sent him flying back into the building.

  ‘Kracht, we’ve gotta go! Come on!’ insisted Saleek as he and Patrick continued to walk as fast as they could.

  ‘Ahh, you never let me have any fun,’ grumbled Kracht as he reluctantly began walking backwards away from the sand dune, rifle still pointing at the hole in case any more aliens decided to climb out and tried to pursue them.

  Saleek tapped his mini-computer strapped to his wrist.

  ‘Ellu? Zeeree? Do you read me?’ he spoke aloud.

  ‘Receiving you loud and clear,’ came Zeeree’s digitised voice over the mini-computer’s tinny speaker. ‘Where are you?’

  ‘On the south side of the sand dune. We’ve got Patrick and are heading away from the structure as fast as we can. We need pickin’ up ASAP,’ said Saleek.

  ‘Understood. We will be with you momentarily,’ said Zeeree.

  ‘See? I told you they’d make it,’ said Ellu as she sat in the cockpit of the cargo ship with a smile on her lips.

  ‘That you did,’ admitted Zeeree, her face on the main view screen. ‘I will never cease to be amazed by Saleek’s ability to defy odds. No matter what the situation, he has a way of always coming out on top.’

  ‘Increasing speed,’ announced Ellu as she pressed a button on the control panel. ‘Let’s go pick up our friends.’

  Forty seconds later, the cargo ship was approaching the structure built into the sand dune.

  ‘Ellu, I am detecting eight people down there who appear to be armed and pursuing one lyan, one human and one buskpod on foot.’

  ‘I think I can discourage them from doing that,’ said Ellu as she grabbed a nearby joystick.

  Moments later, a volley of green-white energy bolts streaked through the air and exploded near to the pursuing creatures. They all dropped to the ground and became covered with sand from the nearby detonation.

  ‘They are no longer pursuing,’ stated Zeeree flatly.

  ‘Good. Throttling back and descending. Ready for pick-up,’ said Ellu.

  ‘Man, that’s a view for aching eyes, eh Patrick?’ said Saleek as he gestured up at the cargo ship that was slowly descending about fifty metres away from them.

  Patrick chuckled and said, ‘You mean, “that’s a sight for sore eyes”!’

  Saleek laughed and shrugged his shoulders.

  ‘Whaddya say, Kracht? Ready to go?’ asked the lyan as he looked at his armour-clad companion.

  ‘’bout time. I think some sand got in my suit somehow. This is all your fault, Saleek!’ complained Kracht.

  The human and lyan just continued to laugh whilst Kracht looked at them quizzically, not understanding what they found funny.

  Chapter 27