Descending Road - AN ORPHIN FOR MAMA by Dana W. Paxson

AN ORPHIN FOR MAMA

1563 4D

Oh, no. “Correction, something’s hitting out there, opposite us on the radial. We’re on the inner side, where you are.”

“Damn fucking straight, if you’d had your heads on, you’d have heard that five minutes ago, from me. Mountain-dumb jackass andro jerkoffs. Get your sad little butts down here right now and I’ll try not to apologize to the Maker and the major for ever thinking of inviting you to share with us your so-called services. If you aren’t moving right now, or you forgot your weapons or your baby carriages, I’ll use you both for heat shields, asses first.” As they picked up their guns and ran toward the lights in the distance, explosions echoing from Aswar Nagrasai behind them, he continued in an increasingly creative incestry of molten verbs, nouns and other thermally-challenged parts of speech.

“We’ve got trouble coming in from the sides,” Angie cut in over Ellichik as Ezzar ran. “I read targets ahead at the next ring street, about four hundred in. Look for niches. I read a large beamer power source now in the street, dead ahead six hundred.”

Rennie, still at a full run, raised his big gun dead level and fired. A huge bloom of white sent a shock wave at them, nearly knocking them down with a volley of rocks and shards, slamming Ezzar‘s shinbones, lacerating her legs. She staggered, cried out, and Rennie braked, caught her, and dragged her aside into a burned-out cubby.

“Rest here,” he said. He ducked across the street to a facing niche to hide among vines.

“It’s cleared,” Angie said.

“Fuck, who knocked that out?” Ellichik called.

“Rennie, uh, Grendel did,” Ezzar grunted, feeling the burning of the cuts that stitched her calves where the rock swept up by the blast had hit her.

“Now we’ve got their full attention, and we’re cut off,” Angie said. “Here’s an orphin for your bloodstream. You’re gonna need it. Can you stand up? Be careful, I read bone fracture in your blood.” Ezzar‘s chest filled with warmth. She tried to stand, but the pain shooting through her right calf and knee made her buckle instantly to the cubby floor.

“No, I can’t,” she said, “It’s broken, all right.”

Flicks of beam light barred the street for a split second, then Rennie appeared beside her, lifting his eyeshield. “How bad are you down?”

“It feels broken, or at least cracked.” Ezzar probed her torn and slippery right upper calf with a finger, grinding her teeth as she found the worst spot.

“Let me carry you out of here after they stop looking for us. Or maybe we’d better not wait.” He peered out. “No, they’re on the way, heatshields and all. Angie reads a strong force, coming slowly. No chance.”

“What about up the other way?”

“It looks open, but we were behind only about four guys. That firefight beyond the crossing must have blown them out. Angie?” He craned his neck out of the cubby to look back the way they had come. “It looks open right now. Let me pick you up and see if we can sneak off.” He reported their situation to Ellichik.

“Try to get to a lift and find the hospital. Good work on the streetwiper. Best luck — we’ll be real busy back here, so get that leg fixed.” A crackle, and Ellichik was off.

Ezzar said, “Didn’t you almost get shot a second ago? How can we get out?”

“Yeah. Hang on.” Rennie disappeared into gloom in the back of the cubby. He returned quickly. “There’s a utility walkway back here. It won’t take us far — Angie says maybe a hundred steps up the street — but that’s something. They’ve gotta check for those all the way up here, so they won’t get to us right away. We might find another one just a store or two further up.” He snatched Ezzar to his back, her legs dangling, her belly against the hard hump of his carapiece, and moved back into darkness.

Story List	SURPRISE ME	Author Page
USER SURVEY	PUZZLE ME	MAKE ELM MARK

HOVER Lucida Bright BARE	HOVER Lucida Bright FULL	HOVER Palatino Linotype BARE
HOVER Palatino Linotype FULL	HOVER Times New Roman BARE	HOVER Times New Roman FULL
PAD Arial BARE	PAD Arial FULL	PAD Lucida Bright BARE
PAD Lucida Bright FULL	PAD Times New Roman BARE	PAD Times New Roman FULL


	AN ORPHIN FOR MAMA 1563 4D Oh, no. “Correction, something’s hitting out there, opposite us on the radial. We’re on the inner side, where you are.” “Damn fucking straight, if you’d had your heads on, you’d have heard that five minutes ago, from me. Mountain-dumb jackass andro jerkoffs. Get your sad little butts down here right now and I’ll try not to apologize to the Maker and the major for ever thinking of inviting you to share with us your so-called services. If you aren’t moving right now, or you forgot your weapons or your baby carriages, I’ll use you both for heat shields, asses first.” As they picked up their guns and ran toward the lights in the distance, explosions echoing from Aswar Nagrasai behind them, he continued in an increasingly creative incestry of molten verbs, nouns and other thermally-challenged parts of speech. “We’ve got trouble coming in from the sides,” Angie cut in over Ellichik as Ezzar ran. “I read targets ahead at the next ring street, about four hundred in. Look for niches. I read a large beamer power source now in the street, dead ahead six hundred.” Rennie, still at a full run, raised his big gun dead level and fired. A huge bloom of white sent a shock wave at them, nearly knocking them down with a volley of rocks and shards, slamming Ezzar‘s shinbones, lacerating her legs. She staggered, cried out, and Rennie braked, caught her, and dragged her aside into a burned-out cubby. “Rest here,” he said. He ducked across the street to a facing niche to hide among vines. “It’s cleared,” Angie said. “Fuck, who knocked that out?” Ellichik called. “Rennie, uh, Grendel did,” Ezzar grunted, feeling the burning of the cuts that stitched her calves where the rock swept up by the blast had hit her. “Now we’ve got their full attention, and we’re cut off,” Angie said. “Here’s an orphin for your bloodstream. You’re gonna need it. Can you stand up? Be careful, I read bone fracture in your blood.” Ezzar‘s chest filled with warmth. She tried to stand, but the pain shooting through her right calf and knee made her buckle instantly to the cubby floor. “No, I can’t,” she said, “It’s broken, all right.” Flicks of beam light barred the street for a split second, then Rennie appeared beside her, lifting his eyeshield. “How bad are you down?” “It feels broken, or at least cracked.” Ezzar probed her torn and slippery right upper calf with a finger, grinding her teeth as she found the worst spot. “Let me carry you out of here after they stop looking for us. Or maybe we’d better not wait.” He peered out. “No, they’re on the way, heatshields and all. Angie reads a strong force, coming slowly. No chance.” “What about up the other way?” “It looks open, but we were behind only about four guys. That firefight beyond the crossing must have blown them out. Angie?” He craned his neck out of the cubby to look back the way they had come. “It looks open right now. Let me pick you up and see if we can sneak off.” He reported their situation to Ellichik. “Try to get to a lift and find the hospital. Good work on the streetwiper. Best luck — we’ll be real busy back here, so get that leg fixed.” A crackle, and Ellichik was off. Ezzar said, “Didn’t you almost get shot a second ago? How can we get out?” “Yeah. Hang on.” Rennie disappeared into gloom in the back of the cubby. He returned quickly. “There’s a utility walkway back here. It won’t take us far — Angie says maybe a hundred steps up the street — but that’s something. They’ve gotta check for those all the way up here, so they won’t get to us right away. We might find another one just a store or two further up.” He snatched Ezzar to his back, her legs dangling, her belly against the hard hump of his carapiece, and moved back into darkness.