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original furniture or decor,
if there ever was any. They continued on toward denser groups of buildings
visible on the hillsides ahead, jutting above the strange plants that grew from
every crevice in the rocks.
    The
plants had thick trunks like bamboo plants, but they quickly split into three
branches that in turn split into three again. Each branch then terminated in
clumps of greenish material three or four meters above the ground. Each clump
looked like moss or hair. The effect was odd; in fact, if they hadn’t been on
an alien planet, Cilreth might have suspected herself to be in a children’s VR.
    She
spotted a flash of bright red on a plant stalk.
    “Wait,
stop, I see something,” Cilreth said.
    Telisa
turned back to look. Cilreth pointed at the red shape wrapped around an alien
plant. The plant stood more or less alone amid a pile of spiky reddish rock.
    It’s
probably just a flower and you’re making an idiot of yourself.
    Magnus
turned as well. He pointed his rifle and backtracked the way he’d come. Cilreth
glanced around to see if anything else looked odd while she pulled out her stunner.
Soon Magnus had interposed himself between Cilreth and the plant where she’d
glimpsed movement.
    Typically
male of him to step to the fore as if he has to protect us. But it makes sense,
too; he is the most experienced with dangerous environs.
    “I see
it,” Telisa said. The nebulous red shifted. It was hard to follow. “But it’s
hard to track. I feel like there’s something wrong with my eyes when I look at
it.”
    Whatever
it was reared up from the plant it encircled. It emitted a half hiss, half buzz.
Cilreth saw the creature was partially transparent. Once armed with that
knowledge, what she saw started to make more sense.
    “It’s
mostly transparent. That red part is…inside,” she said. “You’re pissing it off.”
    Telisa
kept glancing behind herself, though Cilreth couldn’t see why. Magnus stepped
back.
    “Perhaps
best avoided,” he said; then the creature attacked.
    The red
ribbon of color coiled then launched itself at Magnus. It seemed certain to
connect with him, yet it fell short and to one side. Its impossible trajectory
confused Cilreth for a second.
    What?
Oh. A Vovokan sphere intercepted it.
    Magnus
staggered back a step. Telisa didn’t hesitate. She was at his side in a flash,
her tanto drawn.
    “Back
slowly,” he said. His voice was rock steady.
    Crap,
he’s calm.
    Cilreth
had access to his vitals as an expedition member, but she didn’t have time to
check at the moment. The creature launched itself again. This time three of the
orbiting spheres, two from Magnus and one from Telisa, intercepted the line of
flight and deflected the sinuous attacker.
    Magnus
leveled his weapon and fired it once. The creature started to whip wildly back
and forth across the rocks. The Terrans backed away, then resumed their
previous course. The creature had been injured or at least cowed. Cilreth lost
sight of the thing as it struggled.
    “I
assume that will be a fatal wound, unless it’s a particularly tough creature,”
Cilreth said.
    “How
did you spot it?” Telisa asked. “I didn’t see anything when I went by.”
    “I don’t
know. Just caught sight of the red, just for a moment. Why did you keep looking
behind yourself back there?”
    Telisa
looked surprised by her question. “On Vovok, we encountered a few mostly
harmless creepy crawlies. But dealing with a few brought lots more. We kind of
stirred up a hornet’s nest. I guess I’m paranoid about it happening again. Of
course I know, different planet, different dangers.”
    “Makes
a lot of sense. You’re learning from your experiences.” Or failing to get
over your bad experiences , thought Cilreth’s cynical side.
    “I keep
telling myself I’ll get used to it like Magnus,” Telisa said. Magnus ignored
the conversation, as he was checking some input in his link. Cilreth checked
his recent biomarkers through her link. She was a