Transmission Lost by Stefan Mazzara Read Free Book Online Page A

myself.”
    Aria shrugged again, still chuckling. “Like you say. Not trust you.” She thumped him on the back, nearly sending him sprawling on the ground from the weight of his backpack. “You carry supplies, I carry weapons. Not worry. We stay together. You get in trouble, I protect us.”
    Jack wasn't sure he liked that at all, but he wasn't really in a position to argue the point. “Um...If you say so, Aria.”
    “Very good, Jack. We go now, yes?”
    “Just one question before we go.”
    Aria sighed, tapping her foot impatiently. “Quick question, I am hoping.”
    “Yeah.” Jack adjusted the strap on his backpack, taking in the slack so it sat more securely on his back. He looked up at her. She really was quite a bit larger than him, especially since she was carrying a pack nearly twice the size of his. “If I'd said no, what would you have done?”
    Aria looked down at him, grinning widely. “What you think? Smart soldier does not leave enemy alive at her back.”
    Smirking, Jack nodded. “I had a feeling you'd say that.”
    Slapping his back again, Aria started walking, heading in the direction of where her ship supposedly would be. “Come. Midday soon, I think. Will be hot. Need to be moving.”
    Jack watched her as she walked off, her tail swishing with the sway of her hips. She seemed a lot more confident than he was, or maybe she was just good at hiding her true feelings. The Ailian had to be just as nervous as he was, even though she'd obviously seen far more of war than he had. Anyone would be apprehensive going off into unknown territory. Both of them far from home, and far from anyone who could give them aid. Jack shook his head.
    I just know I'm going to regret this.
    Hitching up his pack, he hurried to catch up to the briskly walking female, as they left the clearing and headed into the alien forest. Off in the distance, he heard a long, dull roar.

- 3 -
     
     
    “Hang on...Gotta...Gotta sit for a minute...”
    Turning her head to look, Aria gave a quiet growl of frustration as she halted for the second time. She walked the few paces back to where Jack had taken a seat, perched on a large rock in a spot shaded by the thick canopy of trees overhead. Jack swung his pack off his back, setting it on the ground next to him. He took off his hat, then wiped the sheen of sweat off of his forehead before putting it back on.
    “Second time you stop today,” Aria said to him. She sat down on another rock near him. Jack noticed that she wasn't even breathing hard. “I maybe regretting bringing you along.” Aria laid her rifle against her seat, taking her tail in one hand and picking a few stray bits of dry leaf out of her fur.
    Jack withdrew a water bottle from his bag and unscrewed the cap, and he took a long pull. “Look, Aria, you might be used to this kind of thing,” he said, “but basic training was ten years ago for me, and since I retired from the military I never really did much in the way of camping or hiking. I'm just a little out of conditioning.”
    The Ailian glared at him. “You make excuses. You show me conditioning just fine this morning.” She pointed a finger at her nose, which was still slightly swollen from where he'd headbutted her. “You just lazy, I think.”
    “I'm not as strong as you, and you know it,” Jack insisted. He thought it not an unfair point to make. “You can think whatever you want. This planet is hot and it's muggy. You can't drive me like a slave and expect me to not need to rest every now and then.”
    “Every now and-!” Aria waved a hand back towards the direction they'd come from, exasperated. “We walk less than four hours! You stop twice.”
    “And I'm carrying a pack that's got to weight a hundred pounds at least,” Jack reminded her. He took another swig of water. Though slightly warm by now, it was nonetheless refreshing. “Be thankful I've only stopped twice.” He wiped his mouth, putting his water bottle back, then jumped as he heard a