Storm Over Warlock by Andre Norton (readict txt) 📖

A Survey uniform—with a cadet's badges—lay across the wall seat facing his bunk in the barracks he had left ... how many days or weeks before? The garments fitted well enough, but he removed the insignia to which he was not entitled. When he ventured out he saw half a dozen troopers of the patrol, together with Thorvald, watching the cruiser lift again into the morning sky.[Pg 191]

Taggi and Togi, trailing leashes, galloped out of nowhere to hurl themselves at him in uproarious welcome. And Thorvald must have heard their eager whines even through the blast of the ship, for he turned and waved Shann to join him.

"Where is the cruiser going?"

"To punch a Throg base out of this system," Thorvald answered. "They located it—on Witch."

"But we're staying on here?"

Thorvald glanced at him oddly. "There won't be any settlement now. But we have to establish a conditional embassy post. And the patrol has left a guard."

Embassy post. Shann digested that. Yes, of course, Thorvald, because of his close contact with the Wyverns, would be left here for the present to act as liaison officer-in-charge.

"We don't propose," the other was continuing, "to allow to lapse any contact with the one intelligent alien race we have discovered who can furnish us with full-time partnership to our mutual benefit. And there mustn't be any bungling here!"

Shann nodded. That made sense. As soon as possible Warlock would witness the arrival of another team, one slanted this time to the cultivation of an alien friendship and alliance, rather than preparation for Terran colonists. Would they keep him on? He supposed not; the wolverines' usefulness was no longer apparent.

"Don't you know your regulations?" There was a snap in Thorvald's demand which startled Shann. He glanced up, discovered the other surveying him critically. "You're not in uniform——"

"No, sir," he admitted. "I couldn't find my own kit."

"Where are your badges?"

Shann's hand went up to the marks left when he had so carefully ripped off the insignia.

"My badges? I have no rank," he replied, bewildered.

"Every team carries at least one cadet on strength."[Pg 192]

Shann flushed. There had been one cadet on this team; why did Thorvald want to remember that?

"Also," the other's voice sounded remote, "there can be appointments made in the field—for cause. Those appointments are left to the discretion of the officer-in-charge, and they are never questioned. I repeat, you are not in uniform, Lantee. You will make the necessary alteration and report to me at headquarters dome. As sole representatives of Terra here we have a matter of protocol to be discussed with our witches, and they have a right to expect punctuality from a pair of warlocks, so get going!"

Shann still stood, staring incredulously at the officer. Then Thorvald's official severity vanished in a smile which was warm and real.

"Get going," he ordered once more, "before I have to log you for inattention to orders."

Shann turned, nearly stumbling over Taggi, and then ran back to the barracks in quest of some very important bits of braid he hoped he could find in a hurry.

[Pg 193]

STORM OVER WARLOCK

"A satisfying and mature novel which readers will seize upon if they want to enjoy a good adventure story.

"A survey base on a remote planet is wiped out by a raid of Earth's enemies, the Throgs; the only survivor must face the perils of an unexplored planet while trying somehow to strike back at the enemy....

"As always Norton creates both human and alien beings well, and tells a story that you can't stop reading."

—New York Herald Tribune

[Pg 1]

"UP TO NORTON'S BEST STANDARDS."

—Library Journal

The Throg task force struck the Terran survey camp a few minutes after dawn, without warning, and with a deadly precision which argued that the aliens had fully reconnoitered and prepared that attack. Eye-searing lances of energy lashed back and forth across the base with methodical accuracy. And a single cowering witness, flattened on a ledge in the heights above, knew that when the last of those yellow-red bolts fell, nothing human would be left alive down there.

And so Shann Lantee, most menial of the Terrans attached to the camp on the planet Warlock, was left alone and weaponless in the strange, hostile world, the human prey of the aliens from space and the aliens on the ground alike.

[Pg 2]

ANDRE NORTON has become one of the highest rated authors of science-fiction adventure now writing. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, a book collector, and s-f fan, Ace Books have had the pleasure of presenting her best novels in newsstand editions.

A checklist of available Andre Norton books:

STAR GUARD (D-199) SARGASSO OF SPACE (D-249) STAR BORN (D-299) PLAGUE SHIP (D-345) VOODOO PLANET (D-345) SECRET OF THE LOST RACE (D-381) THE SIOUX SPACEMAN (D-437) THE TIME TRADERS (D-461) GALACTIC DERELICT (D-498) STAR HUNTER (D-509) THE BEAST MASTER (D-509)

Transcriber's Notes & Errata 'nonhuman' is used as an adjective. 'non-human' is used as a noun. 'skullmountain' and 'skull-mountain' are used once each.

The following typographical errors have been corrected.

Page Error Correction 11 gods gobs 17 of world of the world 26 beetlehead beetle-head 29 beetleheads beetle-heads 55 eye-holes eyeholes 71 Thorfald's Thorvald's 87 overhand overhang 88 look took 94 edgeing edging 111 verticle vertical 123 fist first 125 ceremoney ceremony 131 be he 131 then their 131 trid-ee tri-dee 132 heeled healed 133 again against 134 midst mist 144 Shan Shann 145 assauged assuaged 156 occurred occurred 156 one one one 164 and and and 166 route rout 168 roll role 170 Shanned Shann 180 activited activated 180 furiuosly furiously 182 beetlehead beetle-head End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Storm Over Warlock, by Andre Norton