Deathstalker 05 - Deathstalker Destiny

knew how the alien stardrive did what it did, but it was too massively useful not to be used.
    The energies surrounded rather than radiated from the drive container, as though bursting into this reality from somewhere else, and then disappearing back there again. They didn't stay long. Perhaps because this reality could only sustain or tolerate them for a short time. Moon realized with a start that he'd spent far too much time studying them, and turned his attention back to the problem of how to get the container safely back to Owen. The six lepers he'd brought to carry
    the drive wouldn't be able to tolerate nearly as much of the energies as he could. Still, first things first. Break the container free from its bed, and see how heavy it was. Perhaps he could carry it on his own.
    Careful inspection established that the drive container was only held in place by several large steel bolts screwed into the steel floor. Moon had no tools with him, so he just seized the bolt heads with his powerful fingers and unscrewed them manually. The last bolt was the most reluctant, and in the end he just ripped it out, stripping the thread as he did. He tossed the bolt to one side, leaned over the drive container, and tried to lift one end. It didn't budge an inch. Moon tried a firmer grip around the middle, and that was when it all went horribly wrong.
    The drive was impossibly heavy, much heavier than its size suggested. It was like trying to pick up a mountain. Moon braced himself, and called on all his Maze-given strength. His back creaked, and his arms felt as though they were being pulled out of their reinforced sockets. The container shifted slowly, ponderously. Moon strained against the impossible weight, sweat running down his impassive face. The drive began to rise from the floor, and the energies surrounding it went mad. They flared up, brilliant and blinding, and Moon flinched back despite himself. His foot slipped on the smooth metal floor, and for a split second he lost his balance. And that was all it took. The drive container rolled toward Moon with all the inevitability of an avalanche, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. The container slammed against him, knocked him off his feet, and then rolled up his legs, pinning him in place.
    Moon's mouth stretched wide at the pain. It felt like the whole world was resting on his legs. He beat at the steel container with his fists, but couldn't budge it. He was trapped. Moon let out a howl of sheer frustration.
    He clamped down on his emotions, and was once again the cold logical Hadenman.
    He had to think of a way out of this. There was always a way, if you thought hard enough. The container was too heavy for him to move with his hands alone; perhaps leverage would help. Owen had once said Give me a big enough lever, and I'll beat the bloody problem into submission. Moon looked around him for a suitable lever, but there was nothing in reach, and he couldn't move an inch.
    He'd already lost all feeling in his legs, and he thought he could hear the muffled sounds of his leg bones cracking under the unbearable pressure. There had to be a way…
    He heard sounds to one side, and looked round to see Sister Marion making her way carefully through the passage he'd made earlier. She stopped to pull free part of her robe that had caught on a sharp edge, and Moon called out to her urgently.
    "Don't come any closer, Sister! Turn around and go back. There's nothing you can do. It's not safe for anything human in here!"
    "I heard you cry out," said Sister Marion calmly, moving forward again. "Thought you might have got yourself into some trouble."
    "I'm trapped here. The stardrive is much heavier than it appears. I am a Maze-adapted Hadenman, and even I am unable to move it."
    Sister Marion stopped and considered this. "Should we send for the Deathstalker?"
    "I don't think I could survive the time it would take," said Moon. "The drive's energies are even more dangerous than we expected."
    "Then you really do need my help," said the Sister, moving forward again to join him. She took off her tall hat in the confined space and placed it carefully to
    one side before leaning over to study the drive casing, and how it was holding Moon in place. She was careful not to touch anything. "Hmmm," she said finally.
    "Maybe we could work up some kind of hoist, or winch, and lift the thing off you."
    "I fear it's too heavy for anything you could construct," said Moon. "I believe most of its