The Stainless Steel Rat Goes to Hell by Harry Harrison Page A

value.” I tore off a chunk and held it out. Very suspiciously she put it into her mouth. I looked up—jumped and grabbed her and pushed her aside.
    A boulder thudded into the spot where we had been standing.

    â€œAngry at losing his dinner,” I said. “Let’s move out away from the rocks, where we can see what’s happening.”
    We had a quick glimpse of him climbing higher still and finally moving out of sight.
    â€œYou stay here,” I said. “Keep an eye out for Big Red. I’ll get more of this gunge.”
    The sun did not seem to be appreciably higher in the sky when we had finished our meal. Stomachs full enough, and thirst slaked for the moment, we rested in the shade because the day was growing measurably warmer.
    â€œNot good, but filling,” Sybil said, working with her fingernail to dislodge a gristly bit that had lodged between her teeth. When it came free she looked at it disparagingly, then dropped it to the ground. “Any idea what we do next?”
    â€œPut our brains into gear for starters. Since we woke up in this place we have been stumbling from one near-disaster to another. Let’s check off what we know.”
    â€œFirstly,” she said, “we’ve gone to Slakey’s version of Hell. We’ll call it that until we learn better. We are in another place—on another planet—or we have gone mad.”
    â€œI can’t accept that last. We are someplace else. We know that machines are involved in this—because they were carefully destroyed in the building on Lussuoso. Angelina was sent someplace from that temple. We were sent someplace from the one on Vulkann. We know that for certain—and we know something even more important. A return trip is possible. You went to Heaven and came back. And we must consider the possibility that Angelina could have come here before us.”
    â€œWhich means that we need some intelligence—in the military use of the word.”
    â€œYou bet. Which in turn means we have to find Big Red with the horns and tail and find out all that he knows. About Angelina, about this place, how he—and we—got here. And how we are going to leave …”
    A sound intruded, a soft, shuffling sound that grew slowly louder. Coming up the canyon floor towards us. Then we could hear the susurration of muttered voices.

    â€œPeople—” I said as our recently departed devilish friend walked into view. He was followed by a small group of companions, at least twelve of them. Men and women. All bright red. All carrying sharp rocks. I had never seen any of them before—and one glance told me that Angelina was not in this motley crowd. They stopped when they saw us—then started forward when their leader waved them on.
    â€œYou can flee, should you wish, but we’ll come after you. Run or stay, it makes no difference.” He shook the rock at us.
    â€œWe are going to kill you. Kill you and eat you.
    â€œHell is a very hungry place.”

CHAPTER 7
    I HELD MY HAND UP to them, palm out, the universal sign of peace. Maybe. “Wait,” I said. “If you attack us we will be forced to defend ourselves. And we are very dangerous. You will all be hurt, killed if you dare resist us. We are not normal humans but are ruthless killers …”
    â€œDinner!” Red Leader foamed. “Kill!”
    I cupped my raised hand, raised the other in defense-offense position, balanced forward on the balls of my feet.
    Sybil was at my side, hands held in the same way. “You didn’t mean that about killing them—did you?”
    â€œNo—but I want them afraid so we can finish this quickly. Now!”
    We screamed loudly in unison and attacked. Big Red shrieked and dropped his weapon when I chopped his wrist with the edge of my hand, following through with stiff fingertips into his solar plexus. Went on without stopping and kicked the legs out from under the