Star Force: Trials (SF68) Read Online Free Page B

Hanme reserves, now even more frustrated,
knowing that searching the bottom of the large pool was going to take forever.

 
 
    3

 
 
    As soon as he recovered enough he headed back down
again, this time pushing his pace with the technique Paul had taught him using
bioshield ‘tractor treads’ to provide propulsion along the outside of his legs.
He hadn’t practiced it much and it was very tricky to pull off due to the
control factors, but he managed to goose his speed in spurts, unable to hold
the effort for more than a couple of seconds. He did manage to reach the bottom
with some time to spare, then he began swimming laterally and scanning the
bottom with his Pefbar.
    He couldn’t stay down there long and found nothing in
his limited search area before he had to come back up…then wait through another
Hanme recharge period. If this really was Wilson’s doing then he guessed this
was going to be a grinding process, with Jason setting his mind to the task of
multiple dives with tiny search areas below in order to map out the base of the
artificial pond. In the meantime he had to tread water one way or another, for
there was nowhere to get a handhold.
    He flipped over on his back and floated there with a
slight leg kick to keep from sinking as he breathed in and recharged, keeping
his Pefbar locked on the nearby wall to keep from drifting and losing his
position. He had to be meticulous in his search else he could miss something on
the floor. Without a map or light to see by he had to
be very careful in this else he could be looking for something forever…and to
make it worse he didn’t even know what he was looking for.
    When Jason was on his 18th dive the silence of the dark
chamber was broken by an impact overhead. It was too far up for him to see with
his Pefbar, but the sound waves traveled down to him none the less. He jerked
with surprise and lost an air bubble from his mouth, then abandoned the search
and created another mist void bubble around him to bring him up to the surface
as quickly as possible, for while his Pefbar couldn’t reach up that high his
Ikrid could and he sensed a familiar mind.
    When Jason reached the surface he took a couple of
deep breaths then began swimming across the chamber for a few strokes before
thinking better of it and holding position.
    Over here ,
Jason said telepathically, not wanting to lose his orientation in the pond and
waste all the mapping runs he’d already made.
    What the hell is
going on? Blade-097 asked as Jason felt his mental dot start to move
towards him.
    One of Wilson’s
surprises, I’d wager. I’ve been around the entire perimeter and there is
nothing on the walls to use. The bottom is deep and I’ve started mapping it
out, which is why I don’t want to move or I’ll lose my orientation and have to
start over.
    How long have
you been here?
    I’d guess at
least an hour, but I have no clue. And the walls are Pefbar and probably Ikrid
blocked.
    Noticed that, Blade said as he finally popped up on the edge of Jason’s Pefbar as he swam
towards him with decent speed. More than decent, actually.
    Do you have
bioshield augmented swimming?
    Yeah. I thought
we all did?
    Mine sucks, and
the slower I go the less time I have to explore the bottom. It’s the only place
I can think of to look for an exit.
    What about up?
    Can’t climb the
walls.
    Don’t need to
now, Blade pointed out.
    I’ve looked with
Pefbar, but unless there’s some tiny switch I’ve missed there’s nothing up
there. My money is on down.
    Have you seen
any of the others?
    No. I walked
into this trap as soon as I got into the city and I can’t sense beyond the
walls or floor.
    Well, if we’re
going down let’s do this the fast way, Blade said, sending Jason a
battlemeld prompt. As soon as the trailblazer accepted it he knew what his
fellow Archon had in mind. Reaching out with his Lachka, Jason lifted Blade out
of the water when he was still some 20 meters off and sent him towards