Deathstalker 05 - Deathstalker Destiny Read Online Free PDF Page A

you really do need my help," said the Sister, moving forward again to join him. She took off her tall hat in the confined space and placed it carefully to
    one side before leaning over to study the drive casing, and how it was holding Moon in place. She was careful not to touch anything. "Hmmm," she said finally.
    "Maybe we could work up some kind of hoist, or winch, and lift the thing off you."
    "I fear it's too heavy for anything you could construct," said Moon. "I believe most of its mass may be extradimensional in nature. Please, Sister. You must leave this ship immediately. There are forces here that will kill you."
    "I can't leave you like this," said Sister Marion flatly. "Besides, I've got an idea. I brought some explosives with me, just in case. They're all shaped charges. If I set them on the underside of the casing, they should blow it right off you. Don't know what the blast will do to your legs, but I've seen you Maze people heal impossible damage. You want to try it?"
    Moon considered the matter coldly. He was fairly sure he would survive the blast in some form, and he didn't have any other ideas. He just hoped Owen appreciated what it cost to get him his drive. "Go ahead," he said finally. "But be sure to allow sufficient time for you to reach a safe distance."
    "Teach your grandmother to suck eggs," said Sister Marion, which baffled Moon somewhat. He took the explosive charges from her as she dug them out of her voluminous pockets, and together they applied the charges to the underside of the drive container, setting the timers for a five-minute delay. Sister Marion took to shaking her head, as though bothered by something, and her concentration slipped more than once. Finally she stopped and leaned on the drive casing, one hand at her forehead.
    "Lights," she said thickly. "There are lights in my head. And a sound…"
    "The ship's energies are affecting you," said Moon. "Give me the last of the charges, and you get out of here. Quickly. While you still can."
    Sister Marion shook her head angrily, and her eyes snapped back into focus.
    "Almost finished. Just a few more… Oh hell. The timers. Something's happened to the timers!"
    Moon realized what had happened and threw up his arms to protect his face, as all the charges went off at once, their timers corrupted by the drive's energies. The combined blast lifted the drive off Moon's legs and slammed him back against the wall behind him. He could feel things tear and break within him. The explosion picked up Sister Marion and threw her all the way back down the metal passage and out of the ship, like a rag doll in a hurricane. She didn't even have time to cry out. The drive slowly began to roll back toward Moon. His lower half was completely numb and useless, but he used his arms to pull himself along the floor and out of the way. He kept going, dragging himself slowly along the metal passage, leaving a thick trail of blood behind his shattered legs. Internal sensors were bombarding him with damage reports, but since none of them were immediately vital, he ignored them as he ignored the pain, concentrating only on getting outside, so he could see what had happened to Sister Marion.
    Outside the ship, the lepers were gathered around a tattered bloody object. Moon crawled out of the rent in the outer hull, and dropped to the clearing floor.
    Two of the lepers came over to him, and he asked them to bring him to whatever was left of Sister Marion. She was still alive, but it only took one look for Moon to know she wouldn't last long. Her broken arms and legs were barely attached to her body, and she was breathing harshly, every inhalation an effort.
    Moon had the two lepers set him down beside her. She rolled her eyes to look at him. For the first time since he'd known her, she looked small and fragile and
    very human.
    "I'm sorry. Sister," said Moon. "I'm so sorry."
    "Don't feel guilty, my son. I was dying anyway. Better this way than what I had waiting for