Chapter 3 - Sighting

"What did this Soray guy do to get on the hit list?" said Jack quietly, as he lay beside Klint under some scrub, observing an encampment some distance away across a wide, muddy river. His telescopic sight revealed a ramshackle collection of metal huts in a clearing, and what might have been a water tank raised up on wooden poles. He noticed wires on other poles running to a central building, and guessed that a generator was situated there.

"He leads a group that does not wish the Andan rulers to prevail." replied his companion. "They kill, steal and damage our possessions."

"So why doesn't your army go after him?"

"He is elusive. He has informants in all levels of our society and knows when to stay in hiding."

"So, a lot of other people also don't like the government, then?" asked Jack, still observing. "He seems to have some support out there." He noticed people occasionally moving between the buildings through his 'scope.

"Enough." admitted Klint. "But not all wish to challenge the rulers by violence. By removing the demon, we may convert the others to peaceful ways of change."

"Very laudable." grunted Jack. He put the 'scope down and looked again at the small picture of Soray given to him by Klint when they arrived. "I think I saw him entering a building just then."

"Good. So you can destroy him now." stated Klint.

"Not yet." said Jack. "It will take maybe another 30 minutes minimum to set up the shot. The distance is just over one thousand metres or about fifty chains as you measure it. I need to gauge the conditions and sight the weapon. We may have to wait for some time after that for a clear shot at him." He glanced at the man. "Now don't look at me like that, Klint. We do this my way or not at all. This gun will give away our general position as soon as it's fired. We get one go at the target and then move as far away as we can. If I were on my own, it wouldn't be necessary but with four of us, we have to leave as quickly and quietly as possible."

The native leader watched in fascination as Jack carefully checked the parts of the rifle, and attached the telescopic sight. His fingers seemingly caressed the different parts - no fumbling, no uncertain actions. Clearly someone who had been through this procedure many times before and was at one with his precision instrument. Jack then turned to the bundles behind him containing the ammunition that they had all carried here and selected ten items, all but four with coloured markings at the tips. Jack glanced up at him and recognising his interest, explained: "the silver- tipped ones can penetrate armour and burn on impact. The blue ones just burn on impact and the plain metal ones just kill."

"Why so many?" asked Klint. "He is only a man, after all."

"We've got to draw him into the open." replied Jack, suppressing the thought that his target was indeed a human being. "The first shots will do just that. Now go over there with the others and don't disturb me until I've finished firing. It could take some hours, and we'll have to start all over again if you interrupt." He loaded all ten rounds into a magazine, checked the gun again and settled into the firing position, moving branches and bundled-up clothing with great care to ensure that he was comfortable, breathing slowly and regularly. He used all his powers of concentration and observation until the layout of the encampment was familiar and he could recognise some of the faces who moved about the place regularly. 'They're targets, not people.' went the mantra over and over again. He lost himself in observing the waving of trees and grasses at different distances, using his skill and experience in building up a picture of wind strength and direction all the way to the objective.

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"Major Carter, I am truly sorry that our elders are taking so long to discuss your latest offer." explained the Andan deputy chief negotiator Thon, his false politician's smile never quite leaving his face. "Perhaps if we were to take food and drink now, it would make the waiting more agreeable for your party."

"I suppose so." sighed Sam. The headache gnawing at her temples pushed her towards ready agreement. "Daniel, please inform all the groups that we'll be taking a one-hour lunch break in ten minutes time." She watched him move off to the different rooms making the welcome announcement to the technology, cultural, industrial and armaments negotiating teams. She took a glass of water and walked into the gardens.

"If I may say," came Thon's voice suddenly from just behind her, "we are not often graced with such an attractive and talented visitor as yourself, Major Carter. Your husband is a fortunate man."

The surprise of him being there coupled with her tiredness tripped her into the standard reply of "Oh, I'm not married." instead of a polite smile.

"But you have someone close to you, yes?" he persisted. "What public role does he perform?"

'He's killing someone for us.' she immediately thought, but instantly corrected herself. "He's in our military too. But if you would excuse me, I do have a headache and I'm hoping that the fresh air will help during our break." She smiled pleasantly at him.

"Of course. I'll leave you in peace." said Thon, withdrawing across the lawn.

As she sat on a bench in the shade of a tree, it dawned upon her that her supposed close one was a police detective, and not the person now filling her thoughts in every moment that was not spent concentrating on the job in hand. The lump in her throat and breaking heart meant that missing lunch would be the best and only option.

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Klint and his companions were overwhelmed with shock by the first detonation of Jack's gun. They had no indigenous projectile weapons of anywhere near the power of this one. The first shot was rapidly followed by four others as they clasped their hands over their ears. Then there was a short pause, and they could see the generator building in the distance shudder under a sudden impact, with bright flashes lighting it up. One of the insulators above it shattered and sparks showered down. They watched people starting to run in all directions, and then Jack fired four more rounds at two or three second intervals.

To Klint's naked eye, one man leaving a building simply fell over and did not get up again. Jack, watching through his 'scope, witnessed the full horror of his victim being practically torn apart by the impact of his second attempt, the limp corpse being thrown back against the wall in a bloody arc. His final two shots ensured that the man would suffer no more.

Moving away as rapidly as possible but keeping low, Jack signalled his companions to retreat back into the forest. Pausing briefly to unbolt the scope and replace the rifle in its cover, they made rapid progress back in the direction they had come, not stopping for even a short break. Hour after hour of relentless marching did nothing for Jack's mental turmoil nor his painful knee, but he was out of choices. Finally, after eleven hours, it grew too dark to continue and they rested in the undergrowth near a small stream. He sipped as much water as he dared from his canteen, but he could barely digest any rations. He set a tight elastic bandage around his right knee in the hope that it wouldn't be completely immobile in the morning. A brief period of self-hatred gave way to dreamless, exhausted sleep.

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