by Gerry Hart
Rave blocked the shot Solvent had aimed for her neck. She planted a fist in his face. Solvent’s night goggles split apart.
Solvent was taken aback, right into Terrain’s laser pistol. Terrain unmasked Solvent, revealing the legendary hero to be Phillip Tork.
“O.B.S.E.A.C.C. was right.” Terrain admitted to himself aloud.
Tork was a tall, muscular, blond man, bleeding out his nose.
“You’re good.” Tork admitted to Rave. “I would really love to spar with you, sometime.”
“Depends.” Rave had to grin. “Are you the real Phillip Tork?”
Tork paused. He took the glove off of one hand then uncapped a scabbard on his belt. He drew a unique blade from the scabbard in one fluid motion. The blade was too big to be a sword but it was not quite a dagger.
Rave raised and cocked her rifle. Terrain advanced next to her, pistol raised.
Two more rifles were cocked.
Tork raised his dagger and his free hand as he slowly looked behind him.
Negatt and Berenger had regained their senses and footing.
“Just bear with me for a few more seconds.” Tork said calmly.
Tork poked his free hand with the short sword. A rivulet of blood dripped down his hand.
“So you’re the real Phillip Tork!” Terrain exclaimed than delivered a blow to Tork’s face. “Why didn’t you say so in the first place?”
Tork delivered a blow to Terrain’s face, causing Terrain to fall backwards. Negatt, Berenger, and Henderson shoved their rifles in Tork’s face.
“I am not a punching bag.” Tork growled.
“Answer his question.” Rave said tapping her rifle on his shoulder.
Tork calmly withdrew the barrel from his shoulder. He offered a hand to help Terrain. Terrain took the hand allowing Tork to help him up.
“I would have wound up in a cell, charged for a murder I didn’t commit.” Tork explained. “My intentions were to reveal who I was when you reached a certain point in your investigations. Apparently, you reached that point.”
“We’re here because O.B.S.E.A.C.C pointed you out.” Terrain said.
“I’m willing to bet he just revealed that to you. For what? A distraction?”
“One of the false Torks turned out to be a former Crisis Master named Steve Schivalli. He said you killed the Dahlia.”
“Please.” Tork scoffed. “I saved Berenger. I led you to Berenger and the false Torks then I led you to Ibdidgor’s lab in the expanse. Give me some slack!
“Schivalli probably killed the Dahlia. He had more to lose than his position as a Crisis Master. He was Travis Obee’s go between, helping him to carry out a plan fifty years in the making!”
“Obee admitted he had a plan fifty years in the making coming to fruition.”
Tork was silent.
“I’d like to take you back to CM headquarters.”
“Am I under arrest?”
Terrain shook his head. “I just have some more questions. I also think... we might need your help.
“I believe there can no longer be any doubt. Travis Obee is behind an unfolding conspiracy and you might be the only one who can stop him.”
September 9, 4072, 5:00 PM.
“Ori, come eat your supper!” The Nanny-Bot called out.
Suddenly, there was a crash as a hoverjet stabbed into Mender Terrain’s home. The Nanny-Bot was blown backward into the recesses of the unit.
Three men and a woman disembarked from the hoverjet. The three men wore black helmets and black tactical uniforms including armor. They held automatic weapons while power batons were sheathed in scabbards attached to their belts. The woman was Duchess Camille She made no attempt to hide her identity. She wore her usual leather body suit.
The three men proceeded down the debris strewn corridor. The Nanny-bot exited one of the rooms, grabbing the gun of one assailant, forcing him to fire into the ceiling. The android delivered an open palm to her captive’s chest, sending the man flying backwards.
The Duchess sidestepped, avoiding the human missile.
The Nanny-bot turned to the other two assailants. The two men fired their weapons, riddling her with bullets. They ceased firing believing their barrage would fell her.
They failed.
The Nanny-bot grabbed the two men, hurling one sideways and the other forward.
“Nanny!” Orianna cried as she exited her room.
The Nanny-bot realized Orianna was now between her and the Duchess. The Duchess had drawn a weapon. The Nanny-bot reached out for Orianna.
The Duchess’ weapon was a mini-emp, pressing its activator sent a wave out for fifty meters.
The Nanny-bot fell to the floor.
“Nanny!” Ori cried as she tried to wake the android up.
Orianna noticed the Duchess standing over her.
“Sleep, child.” The Duchess stated as she sprayed a mist from a small container. Orianna fell asleep instantly.
Camille picked up Orianna gently and proceeded to the kitchen. The henchmen that had been hurled to the kitchen had propped himself against a wall.
“The hoverjet was installed with the anti-emp device?” The Duchess asked as she transferred Orianna to one arm.
“Yes.” The injured man replied in a distorted and painful voice. “The robot busted me up. I think a broke a leg.”
“Yes. Your friends are still unconscious too. You three are useless to me now.”
The Duchess drew a laser pistol. Her victim held out his hands and tried to speak but two shots made him slump sideways. The Duchess noted how far the other two henchmen were, aimed, and fired twice. The remaining thralls were now dead.
She positioned Orianna on the passenger side of the hoverjet, making sure the force field restraint was activated for the child’s safety. She entered, sealed, and activated the vehicle which withdrew from the wound in the building with a wrenching sound.
The hoverjet rose then flew off.
9
September 9, 4072, 9:00 PM.
Phillip Tork sat in one of the interrogation rooms at Crisis Master Headquarters 001. Rave Henderson, Oliver Negatt, and Michael Berenger sat in an adjoining room observing him on a twenty four inch plasma screen.
“He seems pretty relaxed.” Negatt stated.
“You think he’s guilty?” Berenger asked.
“Can you blame him?” Rave said siding with Negatt. “We’re supposed to believe him because he pointed the finger at another suspect in the Dahlia’s murder?”
“Believe it.” Terrain stood in the doorway. Doc the Dahlia stood behind him. “Follow me next door.”
Terrain and his entourage entered the interrogation room.
“This overdoes good cop/bad cop, doesn’t it?” Tork asked Terrain as he gestured to Terrain’s entourage.
“I said I believed you,” Terrain reaffirmed, “but I had to make sure.
Tork addressed his entourage “I gave Schivalli a gander at Tork sitting there. I offered him a chance to talk to him. He caved and confessed to killing the Dahlia.”
“Really? It was that simple.” Rave asked.
“Do you remember when I interrogated Schivalli earlier?” Terrain asked Negatt and Berenger.
“Yeah. He accused Tork.” Berenger said.
“Yesss.” Terrain nodded. “What else did he say?”
Negatt and Berenger thought.
“He said anything we charged the false Torks with won’t stick. They’ll all be extradited.”
“He still believes that.” Terrain said. “That’s why he felt confident enough to change his story. Why face Tork when he can just cop to the truth? He thinks he’ll be freed.”
“By who? Travis Obee? Where will he be extradited to? Hometown and that dome?“ Negatt was full of questions.
“If Travis Obee does free him, Schivalli will be extradited to the planet, Legend.” Tork spoke up then sighed. “Now you have all the answers and I can tell you everything I know. Could use some coffee before I sta
rt.”
Minutes later, Tork cupped the coffee in his hands and began his story:
“Travis Obee and myself are part of an ancient process called P.E.P.(Physical Enhancement Program). The program increased our strength, stamina, and endurance. It also retarded are aging process. I may look forty but I’m actually twelve years older. I was born in 4018, three years after Obee.
“Techno- World was just being established. There was just a rudimentary counsel. The two other planets that would be known as The Continents and Hometown were still being scouted. The third we eventually dubbed as Legend wasn’t. We had sent scouting teams there but communication always indicated they were attacked and destroyed upon entering the atmosphere.
“I had joined the service at age eighteen. As you must know, the service was now the combined military branches of Old Earth: army, navy, marines, air force, and coast guard. The service would eventually evolve into the Crisis Masters, but that’s another story.
“My training went well and I was deemed a likely candidate for the scouting program. I underwent the PEP process and was assigned to be part of the new team to scout the fourth unnamed planet. Travis Obee was assigned to be my partner.
“We were also attacked when we entered the fourth planet’s atmosphere. However, Obee was the best pilot in the fleet and I was proficient at using any and all weapons and weapon systems. We survived.
“I’m telling you, Mender, the planet was unbelievable. It was a place right out of Old Earth’s fantasy myths. We spent close to two years there exploring the planet meeting human people, meeting strange, wondrous, sometimes dangerous, new species, and, discovering strange and exotic places.
“When it was time to return to Techno-World with our findings, I discussed the possibility to Obee of recommending the planet be called Legend and that we recommend the planet not be touched, that it was unfit for colonization. There were also questions still unanswered like how the planet was populated when we got here and the other three not? Why did the planet’s inhabitants evolve to their current state?
“Obee agreed with me but added something that disturbed me. He added that one man with the proper capabilities could conquer the whole world. He noticed my reaction and claimed he was ominously joking. We reported to our superiors. The planet, Legend, was quarantined and nothing further was said. “
“Until a few days ago when he framed you for murder. “ Terrain thought he was finishing the story.
“No.“ Tork corrected. “We rose up in the ranks of the service. I was always one step in rank below Obee and somehow always in service to him. He considered me a great friend and a great asset but, Terrain, there was moments - just moments - which I thought he kept me close just to keep an eye on me. “
“Keep your friends close but your enemies closer. “ Doc the Dahlia couldn’t help but interject.
Tork was genuinely surprised. “I never considered that before. I really considered him a friend up to a certain point. Could all those years have been a facade? “
“You said there was another time you suspected Obee other than the frame up? “ Terrain asked.
“In school, you learned about The Crisis Masters War? “ Tork asked.
“Yeah. The Crisis Masters almost staged a coup of the colony. “ Terrain acknowledged.
“Then you know the official version of why I resigned. “
“We were taught you resigned because you thought Dahlias were a necessary evil, but you didn’t want to let them into your mind. “
“That was the official version. Obee used the version as an indirect defiance of the Dahlias. He made me look like the bad guy to everybody except the Dahlias. “
“I- I don’t understand. “ Terrain couldn’t help saying.
“The public was crying out for the dismantling of the Crisis Masters after the attempted coup. If we dismantled the Crisis Masters, there would be no time to establish new law enforcement. Anarchy would regain a foothold like during the Violent times. We had made a treaty with the Dahlia race at the time. I knew of their telepathic abilities and their ability to bond with other species.
“I proposed to the ruling council that the Dahlias would reign in the Crisis Masters, make us consider the consequence of our actions. The council agreed and the Dahlias signed on. “
“To implement my plan, I went over Obee’s head. Obee wanted to dismiss me because I defied his orders. He asked me to resign. If he had stuck to that explanation, I might have been caught unawares at the point he decided to frame me, but he let something drop. He said that I had messed with his plans, that the Dahlias could ruin everything. He produced the resignation papers and said, in no uncertain terms, if I didn’t sign, my holdings would be permanently frozen and those close to me would be endangered. “
“Didn’t the council appreciate what you did? Couldn’t they have stopped Obee? “
“The resignation I signed stated I did not want to bond with a Dahlia. Obee took that statement to the council and they accepted it. You heard what would have happened if I refuted it. “
“What did you do then?“ Rave asked enthralled.
“I dropped out of sight. My only connections were in the Crisis Masters. They could no longer be a part of my life so I lost myself down below. I just wanted to die but I saw the desolation of down below and knew they needed a benefactor. I established the Basement, and then realized I was the only one who knew the evil Obee was planning. I knew I had to keep tabs on Obee.
“I had established a Dahlia to ferret out any corrupt Crisis Masters while I was serving. This Dahlia discovered Obee was meeting with these former CMs to discuss their dismissal, but didn’t know what would come about due to those meetings. I pulled some strings and had the same Dahlia assigned to Obee. However, Obee turned the tables on me. When news of that Dahlia’s death reached me, I knew Obee had set his grand plan in motion.
Terrain nodded. “He knew the Dahlia might pick up on his plan so he re-assigned the Dahlia to Officer Negatt. He stalled getting the required Dahlia replacement. Finally, when everything was set up, he had Schavilli kill the Dahlia as you, getting you and the Dahlia out of the way so he could begin his master plan. “
“It may already be too late. “ Tork admitted. “His plan might be a success by now.”
“No.” Terrain disagreed. “We have reports of the false Torks on the Continents and Hometown completing tasks for Obee.”
“I have to stop him.” Tork stated grimly.
“You won’t be alone.” Terrain assured
Terrain offered Tork his hand. Doc The Dahlia placed a palm on their grip. Rave followed.
Negatt and Berenger looked at each other.
“I’m not missing this!” Berenger said and placed his palm on the rest.
Negatt smiled and followed suit.
“Crisis Master Terrain !“ A desk clerk called out. “Admiral Oman on the vidphone. “
“Reroute it to the main office.“ Terrain ordered. “I’ll take it there. Tork, you’re with me. Negatt, Berenger, Rave, prepare to board Providence. Bring the Stooges.“
Berenger, Rave, and Negatt acknowledged,
Mender Terrain and Phillip Tork entered Obee’s former office. Terrain sat behind a clean desk, nothing on the clear surface except for a keyboard and twelve inch plasma screen embedded into the desk. Any keepsakes and data files(digital or hard copy) had been confiscated as evidence.
Phillip Tork took a position next to Terrain, leaning against the wall, arms folded.
Terrain punched a button activating his screen. “Crisis Master Terrain, Mender. Access code: 4455662.“
“Code secure. Communication connected.“ The computer acknowledged.
Terrain looked over his shoulder at Tork. “ Crisis Master Galveston and Oman are manning the I.S.S. Algeni and the I.S.S. Lindsey. They’re in orbit and scanning for Obee.“
“Transmission ready. “ The computer acknowledged.
“Put Oman and Galveston on split screen.“ Terrain
ordered.
Oman and Galveston appeared on the screen. They both noticed Tork behind Terrain.
“Why is he present? Shouldn’t you arrest him?“ Oman and Galveston asked almost simultaneously.
“It’s a long story, gentlemen,“ Terrain proclaimed, “but, to make it short, this is the real Phillip Tork not the imposter - “
“Imposters.“ Tork corrected.
“… imposters are in custody. Tork here has some theories about Obee. “
“Are you the Tork I knew during the Exodus?” Oman
asked.
“Yes, Mumar, it’s me.” Tork answered.
“Tork, it’s good to see you, my friend. “ Oman greeted. “It pained me greatly that you were accused of such a crime. I am sorry my first remark upon seeing you was to have you arrested. “
“Duty, Oman.“ Tork stated. “It must always come first. You know I taught you that. “
Terrain looked over his shoulder at Tork. “You know Oman?“
“I recruited him.“ Tork acknowledged.
“Impossible.“
“P.E.P. Remember?”
Oman smiled. “Phillip Tork and Travis Obee were part of a group who underwent an ancient process of physical enhancement, Mender. A benefit of the process is age retardation. There might be PEP subjects still alive who underwent the process centuries ago. “
“You mean we might actually have citizens who lived on Old Earth?“ Mender asked aloud.
“Perhaps,“ Tork said placing a hand on Terrain’s shoulder, “but that’s a thought to be explored at some other time.“
“Finally!“ Galveston spoke up. “We get to the reason we notified you, Terrain. All systems check and maintenance on the star cruiser have been completed. We’re about to leave orbit.“
“I hate to be an old fogey, but what happened to the maintenance cycles?“ Tork asked.
“This is the first time we’ve needed access to the star cruisers. Obee must have cut the maintenance budget.“ Galveston sneered.
“A delaying tactic. “ Tork told Terrain.
“Sensor logs at the dimensional portal indicate Obee hasn’t passed through there.“ Oman indicated. “Reports from various Crisis Masters state various CMs stationed on the Continents and Hometown have been unable to determine from the local inhabitants where Obee‘s destination is. “