“Nothing’s wrong with them,” Horc retorted. “The beast’s natural defenses stopped them.”
“Ridiculous. Those beams will cut through-“
“See for yourself. We’ll recall the sequence from the memory-“
“Use another screen,” I said.
“But Commander, another screen would-“
“Anyone who interferes with the current monitor display answers to me. I want to see this as it happens, not out of a memory recall.”
“Forgive my asking, Commander,” Horc inserted with quiet politeness, “but see what?”
I realized he was right. Staring at a picture of a bush was not going to give me any additional information. I also realized that despite our height differential, I was staring up at him.
Slowly I forced my head up to its normal level.
“Leave it,” I said, but more calmly.
“Zur here, Commander.”
I held up a hand to the other two as I replied to Zur’s beamed message.
“Report, Zur.”
“Situation is in hand, Commander. Our assailant has been eliminated.”
“What is the condition of your team?”
“Hif’s arm is broken… No casualties beyond that.”
As I received the message, the view of the bush changed as the downed skimmer was pivoted to point back at the scene of the recent action. Zur was apparently beaming as he turned the skimmer; we could see the other three team members in the screen. Kor was working to right the other skimmer. Hif was assisting despite her broken arm. Zome was apparently examining the body of the dead spider.
“Both skimmers seem to be operational,” Zur’s report continued, “though my own flyer seems to have sustained some surface damage in the nose area.”