The Bug Wars by Robert Asprin

Despite the smoothness of the mission I was uneasy. My Warrior’s instinct told me no plan, including our current one, would transpire as predicted.

I was right.

I was in conference with Zome when it happened. We were discussing the necessary quantities of warm-bloods to transport and had reached agreement. The load currently waiting to be picked up and one more should provide breeding stock of sufficient quantity for the proposed project. It was then the call came.

“Attack Alert! Weapons ready!”

I reacted instantly to the message beamed into my head, as did every other team member in sight. We waited for clarification, but none came. The message had been in a strained tone, negating identification.

“Who sounded the Alert?’ I beamed at last.

There was no answer.

“Mahz!” I beamed. He was currently covering the gun turret.

“Yes, Commander!”

“Anything on the Network?”

“No, Commander.”

I pondered the problem, weapon in hand.

“Commander!”

It was Hif’s voice beamed into my head.

“Report, Hif!”

“I have visual contact. Something moving toward the fortification from the Southeast…fifty meters out”

“Identify!”

“Unknown. I can see brush moving, but that’s all.”

“All members pull back to the fortification!” I beamed. “Mahz!”

“Here, Commander.”

“Anything on the network to the Southeast?”

“No, Commander.”

The team was assembling now, Zur hastily assigning them positions with gestures and telepathy.

“I can see it now, Commander,” came Mahz’s voice.

“It’s Kor!”

“Kor?” I echoed.

It was Kor. We watched her final painful approach, Zur moving to help her. She was badly mangled and missing one arm.