The Marriage of the Living Dark

General Horton. Yeah. He liked the sound of that

They went left and along the final stretch of corridor. Just ahead of them the steps climbed steeply into daylight. A cold draught came down at them, bringing the reassuring hum of the cruiser’s turbines. He sent one of his men up. Almost there.

Mind, if she was going to make a move, if d be here. He looked about him. “Keep alert now. No mistakes. Anyone sticks their head up, pop them, right?”

“Right!”

‘geffers?”

“Sir?”

“All okay there?”

“Hunky dory, sir.”

His man had reached the top of the steps. Horton waited, tensed, as the man looked round then turned back, giving the thumbs up. “Come on,” Horton said, sending the other three up in front of him. “Straight up and into the craft.”

He turned, looking back. Good. Not a sight or sound of anyone. Horton smiled, then spoke into the open channel. “Looks like you kept your word, Ascher.”

“Pity you didn’t keep yours.”

‘Td have given you a good deal, you know. Cruisers. Yeah, and artillery. I’d have delivered them, too, but you gave me no choice.” “You killed two of my men, Horton. I won’t forget that.” “Necessity,” he said tonelessly. No way was he going to apologise for killing Chinks and mutants.

“You better watch your back, Horton, because one of these days ...”

But Horton cut in irritably. “Just cut the shit, woman. I’m out of here.” He took the steps in twos and threes, exultant now. At the top he paused briefly, looking about him at the empty landing pad, letting his eyes accustom themselves to the daylight, then, seeing the cruiser twenty feet away, began to walk towards it A single shot rang out.

Horton staggered a moment, then fell, his legs buckling, the packet tumbling from his open hand.

Daniel watched a moment, ready to squeeze off a second shot, then - seeing that

Horton wasn’t going to get up -lowered his gun and stood, steadying himself

against the top of the cruiser’s cockpit

Dead.

“Daniel?”

He hesitated, then, “I got him.”

There were cheers, sounds of jubilation on the open channel.

“Well done, Daniel.”

But Daniel didn’t feel as if he’d done well. Daniel felt sick. He’d felt the bullet pass through Horton’s eye and out through the top of his spine. Yes, even a no-good bastard like Horton and still he felt it He jumped down, then threw the gun away.

To hell with it.

Lin Sung popped his head out of the cruiser’s hatch, grinning. “We got them, Daniel. Trussed up and sedated, just like you said.” He nodded, but he felt faint now. Was this all he was good for?

“Daniel?”

He looked across. Emily was standing at the top of the steps, where Horton had emerged from only a minute before. She was not far from where Daniel stood, yet it seemed as if she were a mile away. “Daniel?”

The voice receded, as if it were travelling away from him.

Daniel...

“Daniel?”

Daniel opened his eyes. For a moment he had been back in the camp, the smell of unwashed bodies all about him.

Turning, he looked up, meeting Emily’s eyes.

“You had me worried, Daniel.”

“Did I?”

“I thought...” She shook her head and smiled. “We all owe you a lot, Daniel. If that stuff had got to Coover ...”

He was silent a moment, then. “I can’t do it any more.”

“Can’t do what?”

“Kill. I can’t do it. I.. .” He closed his eyes again. “It was horrible. Like killing myself. I felt it” “Sometimes if s the only answer.”

There was a long silence, then he opened his eyes and looked up at her again.

“Emily?”

‘Tes?”

What if it never ends? What if this is all there is?”

“What do you mean?”

“Killing. Wars. Strife. What if thaf s all we’re good for?”