Planet Of No Return

“Do you think it would be farfetched to suggest that these buildings might have been destroyed by explosions at one time? These could be the remains of craters — and these pock marks in the ceramic could have been caused by fragments.” Lea nodded agreement. “More than possible, if you stop to consider what is still happening on this planet. But what could this have originally been? This place is too small to have been a city, yet these buildings are so large.”

“The machinery has long since vanished — but I have a strong hunch that this could have been a mine of some kind. Those hills out there are too regular to be anything except mine tailings. These could have been the mine outbuildings and offices, with the larger structures used for storage. All destroyed by bombing. All of the people killed as well …”

“No! Not all of them. Isn’t there a strong chance that our natives might be descendants of these people? The few survivors? Why else would they call a destroyed mine a Holy Place?”

“It’s a possibility, but we have no way of telling one way or the other. They might simply have found these ruins without knowing anything about them, worshipped them for their size. Perhaps Ravn can tell us.”

“I doubt it. And don’t you think it’s about time to go back and see if he has come around yet?”

“Yes, we’ve seen everything we need here. If he’s still out there’s no need to let him know that we have even been here. We still need his cooperation.”

Ravn was awake and glaring — and refused to go on until dark. He knew where they had been, the dark flow of his hatred indicated that, but he was powerless to do anything about it. He sat, motionless, until dusk, then rose without a word and started down the hill towards the plain. They couId only follow after. Half of the night had passed before they completed the large detour around the Holy Place and were back in the foothills again. They slept the remaining few hours until dawn, then pressed on.

It was early on the fourth day when they paused at one of the streams that led down to the lake, in order to refill their water bottles. Brion stopped suddenly and looked up, his bottle still only half full. Lea saw the motion and started to speak — but he held up his hand and waved her to silence.

“Just a moment. Don’t look around or draw any attention to yourself. We’re not alone any more. There are some people ahead, they must be among those trees, just above that grassy slope.”

“Are they friendly?”

“On this planet? Anything but. I can think of only one reason for their hiding along our trail like this. They are lying in ambush, waiting for us.”

“What do we do?”

“Nothing except wait for them to show themselves and make their intentions known. If it’s going to be trouble we can defend ourselves a lot better if we face them out here in the open …”

He pushed her suddenly to one side as something dark arced up and out from the trees. It was a long spear that thudded into the ground before them, almost at Ravn’s feet. He squawked with fear.

“Well, I would say that takes care of their intentions.” Lea pointed at the figures slipping out from the cover of the trees. “They look exactly like Ravn’s people and we know by now what they’re like. I know I shouldn’t give you advice, but wouldn’t you like to do something violent before they get any closer?” She tried to speak the words lightly, but could not keep the tremor out of her voice. The sight of the spear-armed men’s slow advance terrified her. The violence had been ceaseless since they had landed on this planet.

“Keep behind that tree where they can’t reach you,” Brion called to her, as he bent to take out the container of percussion grenades. The attackers were closer, at the top of the slope now, waving their spears and shouting insults. Brion armed a grenade, waiting for them to get closer. It was stalemate for the moment — and this was when Ravn began shouting.

“I am the Ravn! I am coming to help you!” He jumped forward into the shallow stream, still shouting, and splashed across it. Brion started forward — then drew back. It was too late to stop him now. Ravn was on the slope, waving his arms and shouting. “There are two of them, behind me, hiding, kill them, I will help. They have touched metal, they have machines! I have seen them. They must be destroyed!”

His words brought the spearmen forward, their voices rising to match his. They could see his necklace and bracelet, they knew that he was a Ravn, they would obey…