“Let’s go,” Shibo said.
“We’re serving as flank guard here,” Killeen said, trying to keep his voice neutral.
Shibo licked her lips. “Won’t need flank enfilade if they’re overrun.”
“We can provide covering fire when they pull back.”
Shibo’s mouth compressed. “Let’s go.”
They all followed her down through the remaining foothills. Killeen agreed with Shibo’s decision when he saw the fire that raked the Bishop skirmish line. The Cybers used few projectiles, so the battle appeared mostly as lancing signatures in the IR or UV or microwave. The bursts struck Bishops and knocked out their systems, sometimes flooding inside powerfully enough to kill. Cermo was taking a lot of hits and Jocelyn had bogged down already. For the first time Killeen was genuinely glad he did not wear the Cap’n’s emblem.
—Can you hear anything from the Tribe?—Jocelyn sent again.
“No,” Shibo replied.
Killeen swore softly. “Combat without comm’s always a mess.”
Shibo popped the release on her comm. “Supremacy! Hear me?”
To Killeen’ s surprise the man’ s calm voice immediately replied,—Yes. I have been following the situation.—
“Then why in hell aren’t your Families breaking into the valley?” she demanded.
—The Cyber demons are far stronger than I believed. I think it unwise to commit my main body until their full strength is known.—
“Full—!” Shibo gaped in astonishment. “We’re getting cut up down here!”
—Regrettable, yes. But I must know more.—
“We can’t hold ’em long,” she said.
—Dusk is falling. I think I shall move only under sufficient cover of darkness.—
Shibo shot a glance at Killeen. “Pull back,” he said.
“Jocelyn!” Shibo called. “You hear that?”
—I, I caught some. I can’t believe…—
“Better believe it. He’ll make his move when he wants, never mind what we planned.” Shibo’s face was a glazed mask of anger.
—What… what can we do?—Jocelyn’s voice was ragged with fatigue.
Toby broke in, “Dad? Three Cybers.”
Killeen followed Toby’s indices in his sensorium. Three flickering images were hardening into substantial forms. The pale ghosts descended the hills just behind their position. “Damn,” Killeen said.
Shibo took this in instantly and said, “They’ve got the high ground here. Closing fast.”
Jocelyn sent,—If we retreat we’ll have to fight uphill in the dark.—
Cybers saw best in the infrared. As the land cooled, human body heat would stand out against the background. They had planned to be across the valley by nightfall, holding positions on the far mountain range. Then the Cybers would have no convenient moving targets. Instead, they would have had to attack upslope against a closely ordered line.
—Let’s make a stand in the valley,—Jocelyn sent sharply.
Shibo frowned and looked at Killeen. “Why?”
—His Supremacy must make his break soon. We will be in a good position, can link up.—
Killeen said, “Assuming he means that.”
—Why shouldn’t he?—Jocelyn demanded hotly.
“Could be ’cause he’s sacrificin’ us. We’re foreign. We’ve already given him trouble. Killin’ us off’ll take the Cybers time.”
Shibo nodded slowly. Besen and Toby looked stiff and grim.
—I, I don’t know if I agree with that.—Jocelyn’s clear, commanding tone had slipped into hesitation.
Toby said, “Dad, looks like two more Cybers’ve worked ’round behind us.”
Killeen checked and saw the trap closing. “Jocelyn better be right. We got no choice now.”
“Not much time,” Besen said. Her face was drawn, her eyes large.
Shibo threw Killeen a despairing glance. He replied, “Start thinkin’. Must be some way out.”
Without a word they all began running toward the main body. Ahead, Bishops fired and fled and fell.
