David Golemon - Legacy

“Anytime,” she said to Mendenhall.

Will pushed the steering toggle forward, hoping beyond hope that it also served as a throttle. His short prayer was answered as the machine shot forward. Soon they had caught up with Kwan and his men as they raced across the lunar landscape.

“Oh, shit,” Sarah said, as she turned and saw how close the robot was. It had covered a half a mile in as little as the time it took to get the car moving and had nearly caught up with Kwan. The robot covered the last ten feet by diving forward in an attempt to catch the vehicle. The men on the back hugged the metal frame of the car as the three fingers of the giant missed them by inches. The mechanical giant hit the lunar surface and rolled as its momentum carried it over and over across the pitted world.

“What was that?” Will asked as the vehicle jumped a foot from the impact.

“You don’t want to know,” Sarah said, gripping the rock.

“Hey, what do you have that for?” Mendenhall asked. His eyes locked momentarily on the meteorite that she clutched in her gloved hands.

Sarah didn’t answer. Instead, she pointed to the left of the racing vehicle.

“Crap, look!” she said.

On the far left, about three hundred yards away, they saw Jason Ryan as he tried his best to negotiate the light gravity of the Moon. He was bouncing as he tried to hurry back to Altair.

Mendenhall went off course just as the struggling robot gained its feet. The giant head swiveled and it caught sight of its target. Then it saw the man the target was racing for. It started running toward a rendezvous with both. Just as the vehicle approached, Jason saw the robot charging. He leaped into the air and prayed that he had timed his jump well. As the car approached, Sarah stood up, dropping the mineral into the floor of the vehicle. She reached out and Jason actually bounced off the steel hood of the car. He then bounded and almost flew past Sarah’s outstretched hand as well as the other reaching arms of the men who tried desperately to secure him. Finally Jason snagged on to the large roll bar and fell into the back of the vehicle. He struggled to sit up in the bulky suit.

“Holy bouncing ball, Batman,” he said as he slapped Will on his oxygen pack.

“I hope you can lift off at a moment’s notice, because in case you haven’t noticed we have the landlord of this place right on our ass.”

Jason turned and looked at the robot, which had switched course and was again trailing them at a fantastic speed.

Sarah leaned forward and caught sight of the first vehicle with General Kwan and the remnants of the Chinese Special Forces team. They also had three of the ESA men aboard. They had actually slowed so they could turn in case the worst happened when the mechanized killer made its leap. Now they were off and running again. That was when Sarah realized that the game would be played in their court. The general and his team would make it to Magnificent Dragon and word would reach home that the only thing they found that may help their future cause was buried outside the crater, not inside.

“Okay, Will, everything depends on you,” she said through her COM system. “Jason, how badly will an immediate liftoff screw up the rendezvous with Falcon?”

“We can adjust for that once we’re up. It may take a while but we’ll manage. The Chinese may have it worse since their command vehicle just passes overhead. Falcon is due in forty minutes. We may just make it.”

The lunar rover shot over a small rise and that was when they saw the tall structure that was Altair. The ladder looked inviting, but Sarah knew they couldn’t even approach it until they lost the murderous automaton pursuing them.

“We need a plan,” she said as Will swerved the vehicle around a small crater. “We know we can’t shoot it out with this thing, so as soon as we dip down into the lowland in front of Altair, you have to get out and make a run for it. I’ll lead the damn thing off and then join you after I trip him up somehow.”

“Oh, that ain’t happening, buddy boy. There’s no way I’m jumping ship when you try this stupid plan,” Ryan said as he saw that the robot had gained on them.

“Look, you most of all have to get inside Altair and fire that thing up. Don’t wait for me. I’ll make it,” Mendenhall countered, looking at the grated floor of the lunar rover. The meteorite was still there next to Sarah’s booted feet. He swallowed and looked at Sarah. She saw the look on his face and turned away.

Will cut the control toggle sharply and the vehicle turned to the left, leading away from the lander. When the robot changed direction to follow, he again tilted the toggle to the right. The vehicle responded. Then he steered for the crater closest to the lander. He made it to the far side and stopped.

“Everyone out!” he said, as the men hanging on to the back jumped free.

“No, you can’t beat this thing!” Ryan said, tightly clutching the roll bar.

“Get out, Jason. That’s an order.” Sarah turned to face Will. She ripped at a large, bloated patch at her shoulder and tore it free of her environment suit. As she did, small droplets of water were freed and fell gently to her lap. As Ryan jumped free of the vehicle with a loud curse, he was grabbed by the four others and hustled away, though he still strained to look back at Mendenhall.

“I saw your interest in the meteorite. Use this and the O transfer tube from your backpack. That will give you the reaction I think you’re looking for.”

Mendenhall reached out and took the water pack. Then he looked at Sarah, who couldn’t wipe away the tear that was rolling down her cheek.

“Take care of that Navy guy. He’s a real dick when it comes to blaming someone when the right result isn’t achieved.”

“I will,” she said, taking his gloved hand into her own smaller ones.

“Tell the colonel that I said this was his final test. Ask him if I passed. If not, tell him I think he needs to relax a little on the grades.”

Sarah just nodded as she stepped from the vehicle. She reached in and took the small meteorite, tossing it to Mendenhall.

“See ya, Will,” she said with a choked voice.

“Not if I see you first.”

Sarah stepped back as Will Mendenhall shot out from behind the crater. He sped to the right when he saw how close the robot was.

Sarah watched for a split second and then started bounding for Altair fifty yards away.

Will came close to panicking when he saw that the robot didn’t change course. It went after the men on foot instead of turning and following the vehicle. He turned the rover sharply to the left, bringing it up on two wheels and nearly tipping it over. The vehicle shot forward as soon as the tires gripped the dust. He steered straight for the robot, which had targeted as its first victim the bouncing Sarah as she made her way toward the rest of the men. It took a few seconds for the alien rover to cover the distance. Will braced himself as the front end of the vehicle slammed into the giant’s foot. The robot stumbled, fell to one side, and rolled. Mendenhall bounced over one of its legs and felt a serious blow to the chassis of the solar-powered car. He could feel a harsh grinding through the seat as he pushed the rover to the right. He chanced a look back and saw the robot rise its feet with a look at Altair and the men climbing its ladder. It was as if the robot were memorizing its location. Then it turned and sprinted toward the slowly retreating Will and the damaged lunar rover.

“Well, this was a good idea,” Will muttered, as he reached behind himself and pulled free the line for transferring emergency O from one tank to another. Then he gripped the meteorite and the water bag. He started to knead the plastic-lined nylon. The water inside felt a bit slushy from the zero-degree temperature. He placed the meteorite on the passenger’s seat and tore open the water bag, and then tugged on the stitch-covered air hose. Just as he poured the water onto the rock, the robot slammed its large fist down and into the back of the rover.