that were dangerous to eat. With his knowledge they’d been able to find food. He also acted as scout to find out what the dragons were doing out on the valley floor. The dragons were dangerous adversaries, and it was good to keep an eye on what was happening out there. They had a drone that helped, but wind shear through the valley discouraged them from pushing it too far out.
Everett shielded his eyes and looked out into the forest, “I think I see him.”
Tom looked at Everett, shaking his head, “No you don’t. Not if you’re looking in that direction.”
On the other side of the clearing, bushes shook and a short man, reddish brown skin, long, braided hair and beard streaming behind him, broke into the open. He sprinted across the clearing. Matki’s speed was amazing. No human from old Earth would be able to keep the pace that he was sprinting at. He would easily beat any Olympic runner from the twentieth or twenty-first century. He was carrying an atlatl in his hand, with arrows across his back. There was only one entrance through the wall, and he was headed directly towards it.
The opening was in the middle of the wall. It was just wide enough that two people could walk through side by side, built like that so that the larger predators couldn’t get into the tunnel. At the back of the tunnel, the pathway was blocked by a rebar portcullis, to keep dragon spawn and other, smaller carnivores, out. Right now, the portcullis was raised so that Matki would be able to get inside quickly.
Tom turned towards the back of the landing and whistled. Murphy and Joseph were standing on the back of the landing, close to the portcullis. Murph waved and watched, waiting for Matki to clear the tunnel. Murph and Joseph were Air Force security police that had worked in the DARPA facility on old Earth.
Mike kept watch, looking for the ancient dragon to reappear. Matki cleared the entrance, and Mike relaxed. It was a dangerous world out there. Mike heard Murph’s size fourteen boots kick the latch, and the portcullis rattled down. The portcullis slammed against the ground with a loud clang. Murph locked the portcullis closed. The trio turned and walked to the back of the wall.
One mech was always on guard. It was currently walking across the landing, Daughtry in the driver’s seat. Four mechs were in the linebacker position under the overhang, techs working to make sure they were in top shape. Behind them, the tunnel mouth stood dark, framed by the rock. A rebar cage was set into the opening, a door of rebar in the center, ready to be closed and locked if a predator made it to the landing.
Past that there were stairs on the north and south of the landing leading down to the ground. The ones on the north, furthest away from the tunnel, were notable because they looked like they had been built for giants, and in fact, they were built for the mechs to have access to the valley behind the compound wall. Between the two sets of stairs, a cobblestone courtyard had been laid.
Matki was walking back and forth, his hands on his waist, skin glistening with sweat. Michelle Trevino was standing there with Matki, rifle at low ready, just in case anything followed Matki into the tunnel.
Mike slapped hands with Murph as he walked by, “You fellas up for some combatives after your shift?”
Combatives, as the Army called the mixed martial arts style of fighting and grappling, was a popular way to exercise since they didn’t have a gym. Plus, with danger everywhere, people wanted to develop their capabilities, and develop the warrior mentality. A lot of the techs were even taking lessons. There was usually a group somewhere teaching each other different techniques. There were a lot of different styles involved, from Aikido to Krav Maga.
Murph replied, smiling, “Oh yeah, bring it. I need a good workout.” Joseph grunted, non-committal. Joseph wasn’t much of a
Everett shielded his eyes and looked out into the forest, “I think I see him.”
Tom looked at Everett, shaking his head, “No you don’t. Not if you’re looking in that direction.”
On the other side of the clearing, bushes shook and a short man, reddish brown skin, long, braided hair and beard streaming behind him, broke into the open. He sprinted across the clearing. Matki’s speed was amazing. No human from old Earth would be able to keep the pace that he was sprinting at. He would easily beat any Olympic runner from the twentieth or twenty-first century. He was carrying an atlatl in his hand, with arrows across his back. There was only one entrance through the wall, and he was headed directly towards it.
The opening was in the middle of the wall. It was just wide enough that two people could walk through side by side, built like that so that the larger predators couldn’t get into the tunnel. At the back of the tunnel, the pathway was blocked by a rebar portcullis, to keep dragon spawn and other, smaller carnivores, out. Right now, the portcullis was raised so that Matki would be able to get inside quickly.
Tom turned towards the back of the landing and whistled. Murphy and Joseph were standing on the back of the landing, close to the portcullis. Murph waved and watched, waiting for Matki to clear the tunnel. Murph and Joseph were Air Force security police that had worked in the DARPA facility on old Earth.
Mike kept watch, looking for the ancient dragon to reappear. Matki cleared the entrance, and Mike relaxed. It was a dangerous world out there. Mike heard Murph’s size fourteen boots kick the latch, and the portcullis rattled down. The portcullis slammed against the ground with a loud clang. Murph locked the portcullis closed. The trio turned and walked to the back of the wall.
One mech was always on guard. It was currently walking across the landing, Daughtry in the driver’s seat. Four mechs were in the linebacker position under the overhang, techs working to make sure they were in top shape. Behind them, the tunnel mouth stood dark, framed by the rock. A rebar cage was set into the opening, a door of rebar in the center, ready to be closed and locked if a predator made it to the landing.
Past that there were stairs on the north and south of the landing leading down to the ground. The ones on the north, furthest away from the tunnel, were notable because they looked like they had been built for giants, and in fact, they were built for the mechs to have access to the valley behind the compound wall. Between the two sets of stairs, a cobblestone courtyard had been laid.
Matki was walking back and forth, his hands on his waist, skin glistening with sweat. Michelle Trevino was standing there with Matki, rifle at low ready, just in case anything followed Matki into the tunnel.
Mike slapped hands with Murph as he walked by, “You fellas up for some combatives after your shift?”
Combatives, as the Army called the mixed martial arts style of fighting and grappling, was a popular way to exercise since they didn’t have a gym. Plus, with danger everywhere, people wanted to develop their capabilities, and develop the warrior mentality. A lot of the techs were even taking lessons. There was usually a group somewhere teaching each other different techniques. There were a lot of different styles involved, from Aikido to Krav Maga.
Murph replied, smiling, “Oh yeah, bring it. I need a good workout.” Joseph grunted, non-committal. Joseph wasn’t much of a
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