Most autosnipers tracked movement easily. If he didn't move it might not spot him. There was a brief lull.

He could feel sweat running down his back. He could feel a sickly feeling in the pit of his stomach. He could see the robot's turret head, swivelling towards him. He tensed himself to reach for his gun. The Greens opened fire.

The tree limb on which the sniper perched could not take the hail of rifle fire directed at it and collapsed under the robot's weight. Briefly Travis felt power come back into his damaged arm and he rolled over to where his rifle lay. There was an intense flash of light and the sound of an explosion. He bit back a scream.

Travis looked over at the smouldering remains of the robot. From the bushes Chad gave him a thumbs up sign. Travis could perceive the cherry glow of the micro-rocket launcher on his shoulder with his IR vision.

"Everybody OK?" he asked. Nodded affirmatives from the vets, a shaky smile from Stef. "Good."

He moved to inspect the remains of the robot. It carried the logo of a Brazilian armaments corporation. Probably black market. Suddenly he heard the sound of running feet. Bill-boy burst from the undergrowth.

"Enemy patrol, sarge. Think they're annoyed you woke them up. Were camped up ahead." He looked at the auto-sniper. Travis knew they were thinking the same thing.

"Perimeter guard," he said. "Come on, we'd better get out of here."

Snatching up their gear they loped off into the night. Travis could almost feel the Sandinista platoon bearing down on them.

3.Camping out.

Probing fingers of light, flecked with dust, touched the undergrowth where the sun broke through the green canopy overhead. Something small scuttled over his face and he brushed it away. It was too small to register on the pressure pads of his artificial fingers.

He sat up. Half of the Greens lay sprawled where they had thrown themselves. They were all tired from eluding the patrol the previous evening.

Travis checked his arm. From his belt he took out a set of tools. He made some field repairs. The arm wasn't badly damaged.