This first stage of the hunt was not about stealth though. It was about speed. For Leela, it was also about hanging on in fear for her life. She rode with her arms anchored around Kristal‟s waist. The vehicle ploughed along, churning up the snows like mushy paper, the sky and trees zipping by in flashes. Her limbs were taut, and the engine sent powerful vibrations through her calf and thigh muscles. Despite the goggles, Leela felt the full blast of wind in her lace whenever she peered over Kristal‟s shoulder, and yet she felt a frequent need to keep looking. The fierce noise and the occasional bump did nothing to ease her fears. „How much further?‟ she tried to shout in Kristal‟s ear, but her driver did not hear her. Ahead and behind, other members of Kristal‟s squad rode more of these dumpy little monsters. The Captain had allowed seven of the snowmobiles for the hunt, so some soldiers doubled up like herself and Kristal, while the lead troops, some distance in front, rode singly.
