Operation Phoenix:  The Hunt For Samhain


Part 13


 
	Samhain stood alone in the gathering darkness, the wind and rain 
swirling around him.  There was only one left... only one.  And then he 
could be free to try and help the others fend off the rest of the 
invasion force.... and knowing how tough the rest had been, they probably 
needed it--they hadn't exactly been a pushover.

	He checked himself over, carefully inspecting his armor.  It 
wasn't in the greatest of shape.  Absorbing a massive volley of plasma 
fire, then the physical punishment of physical blows from batting 30-some 
giant lizards, then even more of them from psionic blasts had taken its 
toll.  It was actually going to be more of a hindrance to movement now 
than a benefit for defending against any attacks.  "Oh well," he thought 
to himself, "it served its purpose well--it kept me alive."

	Samhain stripped off the armor that had served him so well, 
revealing his black combat fatigues.  Or once black, was more like it.... 
that bluish-green blood was all over everything, even under the armor, 
staining his fatigues in several places.  He put the left gauntlet back 
on, as it was the one piece of the armor with much use left in it.

	Within minutes of removing the armor, he was soaked to the bone 
and getting rather cold.  But he didn't have time for that--he had a job 
to do.  And the sooner it was done, the sooner he could get some dry 
clothes on.  It was time for the hunted to become the hunter.



	The last of the X'hirjq party hunting Samhain moved slowly and 
cautiously through the woods.  He was being hunted now, and he knew it.  
But that's what he liked... he liked stalking game dangerous enough to 
hunt him back, and to turn the hunter back into prey so fast it didn't 
know what had happened.  So, in that context, the prey never really WAS, 
the hunter, was it?  All these thoughts passed through his mind as he 
sought for a place to make his stand... to end this little game of 
man-and-lizard once and for all...



	Samhain steeled himself and readied his katana.  It was time to 
hunt.  He set off into the woods, looking for any sign of a trail to 
follow, anything at all...



	The X'hirjq found a small clearing with large rocks along one 
edge of its perimeter.  Perfect.  He'd set up here, and ambush without 
warning.  But first, he needed to set some things up....



	Samhain arrived at the clearing where, only a few hours before, 
he had fought and massacred a couple dozen lizards.  Their corpses were 
still scattered around the clearing.  Lightning illuminated the area in 
brief flashes, making for an eerie scene of gore and death.  This was a 
good place to start--he knew that the commander had been here.  He 
circled outwards from the clearing in increasing concentric circles, 
searching for something--anything--leading AWAY from the clearing, 
rather than into it.  Only one of them had left the clearing...

	In a brief flash of lightning, Samhain noticed a small branch 
broken and hanging on a tree.  The break was on the side towards the 
clearing, indicating he'd found what he was looking for.  It had taken 
him an extraordinary length of time to find it, but he'd found it.  He 
moved slowly down the trail, watching closely.  This one was GOOD... a 
dangerous adversary indeed....



	He was done.  The traps were set, and he was ready.  He could 
feel his heart racing as he hunkered down into his hole in the rocks, and 
set up his crossbow-style weapon, pointed in the direction he thought 
his prey would come from....



	Samhain approached the clearing.  The trail was quite fresh here, 
and he could tell that the time was very close.  Probably in the clearing 
somewhere, probably lying in wait.  Time to take a lesson from Mr. Demo 
Dick Marcinko--never use the front door when you can find a back door.  
He moved slowly and cautiously around to the other side of the clearing.  
No trails out anywhere.  He was in there, all right...

	He moved slowly into the clearing, watching around him for 
traps.  He didn't see any, but instead caught a metal projectile bolt in 
his upper left chest....

TO BE CONTINUED AND CONCLUDED!


"The Hunt for Samhain"
Copyright 1995, David R. Hibbs
All Rights Reserved.