The alien rifleman was waving someone to his side.
I swiveled the camera back to watch the raft wallow in the water and got back under way.
The next few moments were a gentle struggle between the scout hovercraft’s overpowered motor and the raft’s drag in the water. The line might test at eight tons, but I didn’t think the aliens would appreciate it if I scooped the raft right out of the water and dropped it on their heads.
After the longest four minutes of my life, I got the raft within ten meters of the longboat. I turned the hovercraft in a wide turn so that the line passed above and across the boat. The hovercraft’s lift field raised even more spray around the longboat, making the aliens raise their arms to protect their eyes, so I detached the line from the hovercraft and retreated
