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.Small animals appeared from nowhere, running around their feet, then vanishing back into the undergrowth as the rain finally came to an end.She glanced up and saw chinks of sunlight peeking through the canopy.“They should call this world Rainfall,” Stewart muttered.“Or simply Wet.”“Wetter Than Thou,” Watson offered.“There are supposed to be places where it doesn’t rain,” Darrin said.He looked to be coping with the walk better than Jasmine had expected, for someone from Earth.“But most settlements were built in the tropical zone.”Stewart glanced back at him.“Do you know why?”“Some of the earlier settlers preferred to use boats and fish rather than farm,” Austin said, “or so I was told.There was definitely some confusion over the best place to set up farms and settlements.But we actually have two harvests in a year and plenty of other advantages, living here.There’s just an awful lot of rainfall.”They stopped long enough to eat ration bars and take a drink of water, then resumed the hike as water splashed down around them.Jasmine found herself almost enjoying the march, despite the weight on her shoulders and the need to keep a constant eye on Kailee, who seemed to have withdrawn completely into herself.It was surprisingly like her homeworld, apart from the ever-pouring rain.She felt a touch of homesickness, which she pushed away savagely.She’d known she might never see her home and family again even before she was sent to Avalon.“We’re approaching the first campsite,” Austin said.“Do you want to set up here for the night or carry on for another hour?”Jasmine glanced at Kailee.“Stay here, I think,” she said.The Marines could have gone on for several hours, but Kailee was not in a good state and Darrin didn't look much better.“We can press on tomorrow.”“No campfire, of course,” Darrin said.He gave Austin a tired smile.“Do we at least get to sing songs?”“Yep,” Stewart said.He threw back his head and started to bellow.“Oh, up in the north, there lived a great.”“I think they’re not old enough to hear that song,” Jasmine interrupted, quickly.It started out as rude and went downhill from there.“And besides, you can't sing.”“Of course I can,” Stewart objected.“I’ll have you know the Drill Instructors wanted to turn my singing into a training tool.They were going to play it to young recruits who weren’t showing enough enthusiasm.”“And there I was thinking it was going to be played to prisoners,” Watson said, as they entered the clearing.“A few hours of hearing your caterwauling and they’d be begging us to let them confess.”Jasmine concealed her amusement as she unslung her pack, then started to dig out the tent while Kailee collapsed to the ground.She’d have very sore feet in the morning, Jasmine suspected, remembering her first week at Boot Camp.There had been odd bruises popping up all over her body until she’d grown used to pushing herself to the limits.And Kailee hadn't had a chance to walk for nearly five years.“We can’t set up a fire,” Austin said, once the two tents were erected.“There’s too great a risk of attracting attention.But I suppose we could sing, if you wanted.”A loud peal of thunder split the sky.“I think God is saying no,” Watson said, with a rude snicker.“And some of us should really get some sleep.”“True,” Jasmine agreed.She dug more ration bars out of her bag and ate one, then practically force-fed a second bar to Kailee.The younger girl looked unhappy, but reluctantly ate and then took a swig of water and a handful of pills.“I’ll put Kailee to bed, then get some sleep myself.Carl, if you take watch, wake me up in four hours and I’ll take over from you.”“Understood,” Watson said.He hefted his rifle, then sat down outside the larger tent.“Do you think we’re in any danger?”“There used to be quite a bandit camp up here,” Austin said.He picked up a shovel, obviously intent on finding somewhere to answer the call of nature.“There may still be stragglers, if they escaped the sweep afterwards.”Jasmine leaned forward.“What happened to them?”Austin shrugged.“Most of them were indentured prisoners who fled rather than work off their debts,” he said.“I have a feeling that any survivors would have tried to hide, rather than attack the newer settlements.But I honestly don’t know for sure.”“Keep a sharp eye out,” Jasmine ordered, as the rain started to fall once again.She urged Kailee into the tent, then sighed.They were going to have a damp night.“And wake me in four hours.”The following morning, after eating a brief breakfast, they started on their way again.Chapter NineAnd when this happened, civilians died.They were shot down by advancing troops, who believed them to be insurgents or terrorists.- Professor Leo Caesius.The Empire and its Prisoners of War.Meridian, Year 5 (PE)There were few times in Gary’s life that he could honestly say he’d lived without fear.Maybe he had felt no fear as a newborn baby, when he’d been too young to realise the dangers of growing up on Earth, but that time had passed too quickly.No one had defended him at school, no one had stood up for him [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]