The Risks of Dead Reckoning Felicia Watson (books for 9th graders .TXT) 📖

“Score one for theLignatians,” Decker said. “I want to help you, so I’m gonna have toexamine your leg. I need to touch it and it might hurt a little butI have to get a better look to see if I can fix it. Okay?” She gotanother quiet affirmative and commenced her gentle examination. Itconfirmed her fear – the leg was broken.

When she turned back to hermed-kit to ponder her choices, Moira hissed, “Why are you helpingit? You should be capturing it or interrogating it – or something.They attacked us! And this one was throwing things at—”

“Because it’s achild. Can’t you seethat? You don’t hold a child responsible for what its people do –or even for everything the child does. That’s humanity101.”

Finnegan was chastenedenough by Deck’s explanation to remain quiet, at least until shewatched Naiche jump up and hack a small branch off of a tree. “Whatare you doing? I thought you intended to help thatcreature?”

While stripping the barkfrom the branch, Deck explained, “I do. I’m going to splint theirleg.”

Wide-eyed, Finneganexclaimed, “Why ever would you do that? Don’t you people havebone-welders?”

“Yeah, we do. There’s amicro-welder in my med-kit, but it was designed for humans. I haveno idea what effect it would have on a Featay.” She paused tomeasure the branch against the child’s leg. “When biology is indoubt – you can always fall back on physics.”

While she worked on theleg, Deck kept up a steady stream of soothing chatter and praise ofthe bravery being displayed to distract the young Featay. Kayassisted by letting the child pet him and getting in a few gentlelicks. A short while later, the young one cautiously stood on thesplinted leg. Decker handed over another branch and pantomimed itsuse as a crutch. Still in obvious pain, the Featay hobbled slowlyaway. Naiche was glad their path to the rendezvous point was in anopposite direction so that the child wouldn’t think they werefollowing. She still waited until the young Featay had completelydisappeared from sight before heading towards theirdestination.

***

“Decker to Kennedy. Con,do you copy?”

Con answered the hail witha smile, figuring Deck and Moira had to be pretty close, since histeam had been cooling their heels at the meeting spot for twentyminutes. “Kennedy here. Where are you, slow poke?” When Deck gavehim the coordinates, he hurriedly checked the map on his scanner.“That can’t be right – not unless you’ve been sitting still forover half an hour!”

Deck proceeded to fill himin on the encounter with the Featay child. She then advised, “Youguys shouldn’t wait for us – not only is it gonna be dark soon, butI know Betang’s crew must be worn out from stress and exertion.Proceed to the Aurora without us and we’ll meet you there.”

“I’ll send them on aheadand double back—”

“Don’t bother. We’ll befine. Go to the Aurora, hug your wife, and kick back. I’ll be there before you knowit.”

Though he didn’t verbalizeit, Kennedy was concerned that an encounter with a Featay childaugured an impending encounter with Featay adults. “I will go tothe Aurora, hugmy wife, and relax – afterI backtrack and meet up with you.”

There was a brief pause butDeck finally said, “Okay – if you insist. You’re theboss.”

“Damn right I am,” Conlaughed. “Kennedy out.”

Croker, who’d beenlistening in, exclaimed, “They were attacked by a Featay? This ismost concerning.”

Betang hurried over. “Therewas an attack? Are they injured – should we attempt arescue?”

“I don’t think a rescue isnecessary,” Croker said. “Decker wounded the Featay inbattle.”

Kennedy waved his hands ina negating gesture. “Let’s set the record straight here. Achild threw the Toluequivalent of a pineconeat them and then fell out of a tree. Deckerpatched the kid up as best she could and sent them on their way.There was no ‘battle’.” Not wanting to add fuel to this fire, Conkept his vague fears to himself. “Just to be absolutely sure – I’lldouble back to meet them while you two, Kapoor, and Quan geteveryone else to the Aurora.”

“I’ll go with you,” Crokervolunteered. Betang chimed in that she would as well.

To Con’s dismay, he wasn’table to dissuade either of them from joining him. He was startingto count the last two days amongst the longest ones of his life.After Kennedy informed Kapoor and Quan that they were splitting up,he and the other two started towards Decker’s location at a briskpace.

They’d been in the forest ashort time when the sounds of weapon-fire drew their notice.Fearing an attack had been launched against Decker and Finnegan,Con used his hand scanner to survey the area. The data read-outindicated that the source was mere meters away. “It’s coming fromthe valley slopes,” he announced, while running out of the forestedarea, towards the coordinates.

Upon clearing the treeline, Kennedy was arrested by the sight of a peerazu flying low inthe darkening sky. He immediately dropped down behind a boulder ascover. Peeking over it, he saw that several Featay, armed with gunsfiring dart-like projectiles, were fighting the creature off. Conwas soon impressed by the combination of valor and marksmanship ondisplay.

Kennedy heard anexclamation of, “Oh, no!” He glanced over to see Croker and Betanggawking at the battle – standing in full view of both peerazu andFeatay.

In a low voice, hecommanded, “Get over here.” After repeating the order severaltimes, they finally obeyed. The three humans watched in amazementwhile the Featay skillfully countered the peerazu attack. “Ithought you said their weapons were inaccurate,” Kennedy said toBetang. “They look pretty damn accurate to me.”

“I suppose this group hasmuch greater skill than the one that attacked us,” she replied.“That would explain the disparity.”

Con wondered about theveracity of Betang’s account, as he watched the Featay expertlycoordinate their attack, avoiding the acidic saliva whileconcentrating all firepower on the peerazu’s wings. Noticing driedblood on the wings, he mused, “It looks like the same one thatattacked us.” He glanced towards Betang and Croker. “Are theyusually this tenacious?”

“I cannot say. We onlywitnessed them the day we landed – and then the night we gotstranded,” Betang answered. “Their appearance is always announcedby the tremors, it seems.”

Croker said, “The Maykuredid volunteer that they are the most vindictive of creatures. Theyclaim