VapOr?

I gestured back at the skimmer, seeming to float in the tall, waving grass.

"No room!" I tried to enunciate clearly, speak loudly, even though I knew it wouldn't do any good. "We come back!"

The man looked at me in confusion, then suddenly took several broad steps forward. I involuntarily stepped back, one hand on my pistol. I glanced nervously at Shaun, but he wasn't even looking. Instead his attention was on the woman, the shrouded figure, who seemed to be struggling in her veil.

"Unnnnn...." A low moan rose from the sheets that enwrapped her, something hideous and otherworldly. I felt a chill run down my spine.

I looked back at the big fellow, their leader, and could see the worry and confusion written across his face. I put out my hand and started to step around him, toward the woman. He almost reflexively grimaced and moved to block me.

"No!" I said hastily, stepping back. "I help!" I looked helplessly at Shaun.

But Shaun still wasn't listening. He was sitting down in the tall grass, a slack expression on his long face. The locals standing near him were starting to back away.

I quickly walked over to his side.

"Shaun!" I said loudly. "Are you alright? What are you doing?"

"Mmmn.." he mumbled. "Tired, doc. Can't seem to..."

I started to reach out to shake his shoulder when a rough, strong hand grabbed my wrist, holding me back. I looked up angrily and not a little bit fearfully to see the burly leader fellow, his eyes wide with fear.

"What in the devil..." I began when he yanked me away from Shaun and began jabbering at me again. Of course I couldn't understand what he was saying, but I wasn't really listening. I was watching the now-unconscious form of my assistant as it began to, I'm not sure how to put this, mutate rather rapidly into some kind of cyborg, sprouting antennas and sleek metal nodules and appendages quite rapidly. I looked up at the leader fearfully and could sense his relief now that I was aware of the danger.

Rogue tech. And something strong enough to quickly overwhelm Shaun's defenses.

I wondered how on earth these people weren't dead. Or, for that matter, why I wasn't.