The demon, like all the others before it, appeared first in the form of a horizontal plume of rust-red grit and vapor. Almost a kilometer away, it moved low to the ground, camouflaged by the waves of hot, shimmering air that rose from the desert hardpan. Lieutenant Matt Whitebird watched it for many seconds before he was sure it was more than a mirage. Then he announced to his squad, “Incoming.” Copyright 2015 by Linda Nagata. Originally published in OPERATION ARCANA, edited by John Joseph Adams. Reprinted by permission of the author. Narrated by Stefan Rudnicki.
