Phantoms
Page 7
“They came here; why?”
“They were looking for something,” Monty said.
“Someone,” Summer corrected.
“Who?”
“We don’t know.”
Tidus went to the galley and retrieved a knife. He returned and cut the bindings from the Humans.
“I assumed it was you who attacked Anoc and his associates, forewarned by a break in entry protocol,” the Juirean said. “I was not aware others were aboard. I am sorry if I put you at risk.”
“That’s okay,” Monty said. He wrapped a thick arm around Summer and pulled her close. “Quick thinking there, daughter. You probably saved our lives.”
“Yeah, again,” Summer said, flashing a sweet smile at her burly father.
“I am just glad you are well,” said Tidus. “For good news, I was able to contact Adam Cain. He is bringing one of the trans-dimensional starships to retrieve us. He will be here in less than sixteen hours. Let us now dispose of the bodies. They are beginning to smell. Then we lockdown the ship and wait for his arrival.”
“That won’t work,” Monty said gravely. “The Gradis has another team on the way. We can’t stay here.”
“They are sending more; why?”
“As Summer said, they’re looking for someone, and they’re going to tear the ship apart until they do.”
“But there is no one but us.”
“We know that, but they don’t,” Summer said. “We can’t stay here.”
Tidus was lost in thought as he fought for a solution to their problem. They had Anoc’s vehicle outside the Forty, but where could it take them? Into the city, where it would be just as dangerous as remaining here and fighting off the Cartel for the next sixteen hours. Or….
Tidus rushed to the body of Anoc Firostum and began to rifle through his clothing. The Juirean’s heart was pounding, fearing the worst. But then he found it: Anoc’s ID card. It was intact, having avoided vaporization by the MK bolts that hit him.
“Collect what credits you can find aboard, in addition to surplus weapons.”
“What did you find?” Summer asked.
Tidus held up the ID. “This has the location to Anoc’s residence. He called it a compound, designed to withstand the volatile population of Yanish-kas. We will find refuge there until Adam arrives.”
“Where is it?”
“He indicated the foothills south of here. I will access a datapad for the exact location. Now please, hurry. You say others are coming. I doubt they will be pleased with what they find within the ship.”
Summer and Monty headed aft to their compartments, having to step over and around a myriad of dead aliens. Tidus went to the bridge. There was a small cache of datapads in a secure compartment on the bulkhead. He opened the box and removed a pair of the devices.
When he returned to the common room, Monty and Summer were there with small duffel bags. Summer also had her compound bow, along with a covered quiver of arrows, both slung over her back. She never went anywhere without her weapon of choice.
A moment later they were outside and in the dimming light of early evening. Summer climbed in the back of the transport. Tidus asked Monty to drive while he took the passenger seat.
“I will navigate. Hopefully, we will not meet any resistance. Anoc’s vehicle is armored, and very likely known in the community. The journey to his residence should be a smooth one.”
“Glad to hear that,” Summer said. “Very few things have gone smoothly for us lately.”
Tidus took Anoc’s ID card and swept it across the scanner on the datapad. A map appeared on the screen, a yellow dot now flashing within a maze of lines and intersections.
The Juirean pointed to the left. “Head out that way. You will exit the spaceport and meet up with the E-4 thoroughfare.”
The transport pulled away. Tidus took a quick look around, knowing now that a Cartel assault group had arrived at the ship unseen by the Humans. He was curious from where they came. There, four empty vehicles off in the darkness near another derelict vessel. Scavengers were already rifling through the transports, in the process of stripping the cars clean. Word must have already circulated throughout the spaceport about the battle aboard the Forty. No one would be returning to the vehicles. They were fair game at this point.
Monty steered toward the main exit to the spaceport. Although Tidus had speculated they would have an uneventful journey, he couldn’t guarantee it. But once they got to Anoc’s compound, they could relax and wait for Adam’s arrival. The only issue he saw at the moment was that Anoc knew his way around the city and Tidus didn’t, especially after dark. Although the location of the residence was known, the most direct route may not be the safest. Tidus had no way of telling if that was true.
He took a pair of MK’s from Summer, just in case. It was better to be safe than sorry.
Tidus sighed at the rapid change of fortunes. Only moments before he was overjoyed with the news that Adam Cain would be on Sasin in sixteen hours. Now that was an eternity. Their only chance for survival was to become just as savage as the city around them. He looked at the grim and determined face of Monty Pitts, then to the more solemn, but equally determined countenance of Summer Rains. He forced a wry grin. If he was to face the deadly unknown, he couldn’t imagine a more capable team to have at his side. A Juirean and two Humans was a formidable force on any planet.
But would it be enough for Sasin?
9
They arrived in a pair of small hovercraft, a team of enforcers and techs sent from the Gradis Section of Yanish-kas, and led by a Second Level Kali, a senior operative in the Cartel. His name was TeraDon Fief, and he was of the Bazus race. Bazuseans weren’t the most physically intimidating of the Expansion members, but what they lacked in brawn they made up in intelligence. Even within a criminal organization such as the Gradis Cartel, the smartest often rose to the highest positions. And in light of his current assignment, TeraDon’s advancement to First Level was assured.
His assignment was one requested by a very important client of the Cartel. He’d heard rumors circulating for the past year, regarding an exclusive contract between the Gradis and the representative of an unnamed entity. Following the demise of Frandon G’Bur and the collapse of the hierarchy of the organization, this affiliation was welcomed by the new leadership, an affirmation of the continued viability of the organization. It also helped redeem the spirits of the membership.
And after the recent horrors of the Mad Aris Kracion, the Gradis was poised to gain even more power and prestige, feeding on the panic and confusion of the aftermath. TeraDon would do his part, and as a result, he would be rewarded. There were still positions to be filled at the top of the leadership ladder, and TeraDon was determined to claim a spot for himself.
And now that he had been brought into the inner circle regarding the goals of this powerful client, it was a sign that his effectiveness was being noticed by the higher-ups.
But then his mood was dashed the moment he and his team entered the broken down starship, resting as it was atop the crumpled remains of another.
Everyone was dead, including the first Gradis team sent in, along with four unidentified beings. He had the report in his datapad, indicating two Humans were found aboard, but according to Draunus and the video records, they had been secured by the team and not a threat. So who were these others?
He sent his team in fully armed and ready, but the ship was a tomb, and after a quick accounting, he found that the Humans were not among the casualties. TeraDon scowled. Humans! They were the bane of the galaxy, always an annoyance, if not worse. Now they were gone, having left TeraDon with a mess of incalculable consequences.
The client representative—a creature known simply as Te’moc—had specifically requested that the Humans be transported to the Gradis Section for his personal interrogation. That was not to be, not now. How that would affect the overall contract, TeraDon didn’t know. But still, he was obligated to inform the client.
“And the Humans are gone?” Te’moc asked. Even through the translation device, his voice took on a strange, ominous quality. It was almost as if it was spoken through liquid, a gurgling sound, yet still conveying power in its delivery. “Have you surveyed the other video accounts? How was this assault on your people carried out? It must be as I suspect.”
“I have assistants doing so at the moment. They will report important items as they are found. But it appears the battle was between two parties armed with traditional bolt launchers. There is nothing to indicate otherwise.”
“However, I warned you. Your failure to destroy the ship in space meant there would be a greater risk during its acquisition on the planet.” Te’moc was quiet for a moment. When he spoke, reddish eyes bore into TeraDon. “This is twice I have guided the actions of the Gradis, and twice you have failed me. In both instances, you had overwhelming force and adequate preparedness. Perhaps my confidence in your organization has been misplaced.”
TeraDon pursed his thick lips. He did not appreciate anyone talking such of the Gradis, even a valued client. As a matter of fact, he didn’t understand the dynamic at work with the mysterious Te’moc. It was unusual for the Cartel to have clients in the first place. The Gradis usually took what they wanted and guided their own fortunes and activities. But now the leadership was taking orders from this creature, this outsider.
“It is my understanding that you would not have been this far along on your quest if not for the efforts of the Gradis. Was it not we who infiltrated the military archives on Earth to secure the information that originally brought you to us?”
“That is true, but now that I have the scent, I grow frustrated with the lack of results. Where are the Humans now? I sense movement in my quarry.”
“They cannot be far. The timestamps on the videos show only twenty minutes have lapped since the massacre. We will search other vids to determine which direction they took and where they could be headed.”
“Where would Humans go in Yanish-kas? Do they have a presence there?”
“Not that I know of. That will make our job easier.”
Te’moc shook his head. “Your job is anything but easy. You do not understand the forces at work here. And now that these forces are aware of the danger they face and are free to act, I very much doubt the Gradis Cartel has the resources on Sasin for the effort. Therefore, I will place an open contract to all within Yanish-kas. I want the Humans found—especially the female. There is something not right. That uncertainty can be very deadly. The Gradis can still fulfill the contract if you complete the mission first. Otherwise, the reward will go to any who can perform.”
“You cannot trust the Tribes,” TeraDon protested. “They are savages. If you wish the Humans to remain alive, you will need us.”
“Who said anything about needing them alive?”
10
It was a strange kind of darkness that descended over Yanish-kas. With electricity at a premium, there were few lit structures, along with even fewer streetlamps along the E-4 roadway. Instead, small fires took their place, glowing a soft orange and causing shadows to flicker with a life of their own, creating phantom movement everywhere. This was not to say there weren’t real creatures along the route. There were thousands of them. The city was packed with the refuse from a hundred worlds, and blatant acts of cruelty were being committed out in the open, causing Summer to recoil from the horrific scene outside the car. She could see firsthand how various species treated others not of their kind. In nearly all cases, the weakest among them became food for the more powerful or better armed. Supposedly intelligent creatures were feeding on raw carcasses, all in a desperate struggle to stay alive for one more day.
Most of those moving in roving gangs had the stained foreheads of their various tribes, displaying ugly and prominent swatches of either red, black, white, yellow or blue. These represented the five Tribes of Sasin. With her eyes frantically scanning the sidewalks and intersections of the roadway, she listened to Tidus explain more of the societal structure of Sasin and the city of Yanish-kas in particular.
“The ones with the brightest stains are the newest members, recently acquired at the auctions. The duller the stain, the more senior the member. They are referred to as palefaces.”
Monty looked over from his driving duties. “No shit? That’s funny.”
“I do not understand?”
“It’s a Human thing, Tidus,” said Summer. “Go on.”
“We are currently traveling the E-4 thoroughfare. There are six other main transit lines throughout the city, each the border between opposing Tribes. The main roadways form a neutral zone of sorts, along with a thin buffer on each side. This allows for travel within the city without constant battles taking place. The lowliest members guard the sectors against deeper intrusion. You will notice some do not have stains on their foreheads. These unfortunate creatures are the outcasts who have been designated as general food stock. They are released along the thoroughfares to satiate the wanderers. More often than not, they end up being slaughtered on the streets, which is the intent. Other species are bid on by the Tribes and processed in a more organized manner and fed to the masses. However, the feral beasts we see here are used to feed the lowest of the Tribe members as a means of keeping them content.”
“That’s disgusting,” said Summer. “They aren’t even cooking them.”
“Some do. But in the rush of the kill and consumption, before others move in, there often is not time to properly prepare the meal.” He pointed to the right. “That is the Red sector, the largest of the Tribes. Across the street is the Yellow. As a general rule, Tribal leadership cooperate with each other for basic services and seldom engage in major conflicts. This has been the way of Sasin and the city of Yanish-kas for many generations. However, with the current influx of refugees, the pressure on the leaders to provide for their members is rapidly reaching a breaking point. Huge raiding parties often attack the neighboring sectors, which then create retaliatory responses.” He checked the datapad. “Monty, we will be turning left in about ten minutes and entering the Blue Sector. This is a secondary roadway. We will be challenged as we enter.”
“So what do we do?”
“I will attempt to use Anoc’s ID as a pass. But we should be prepared. Fortunately, Tribal security is not very well organized. If it is necessary for us to fight our way through the checkpoint, a single vehicle like this should be able to get lost in the community before others arrive.”
“How far is it to Anoc’s compound?”
“The datapad has converted the distance to your miles. We still have nineteen to go.”
“And how far have we gone?” Summer asked.
“Three.”
“Only three! Everyone outside is looking at us. At what point will they try to stop us?”
“As long as we stay on the main thoroughfares—”
“Which we’re about to turn off of in ten minutes.”
Tidus nodded. “Yes, the journey will become exponentially more difficult at that point.”
“And this is better than simply heading out of town and making for the country?”
“It would take longer to do so,” said Tidus. “The spaceport is in the center of the city. It would take three hours in any direction, and then we would not be safe. The Wilds are even more dangerous than within. There is no order there, not even that of the Tribes.”
Then a thought occurred to Summer. “And what happens when Adam gets here? Do we have to turn around and go back to the spaceport, or will he come to us?”
“I do not know. I have a communicator, and undoubtedly Anoc has more sophisticated equipment at his compound. We will contact Adam when he gets closer and make arrangements.”
Tidus looked ahead. There was a roundabout coming up. More correctly, it was a circular road wrapping a
round a large park, or what had once been a park. There was a monolith standing in the center although it was now mostly covered in graffiti and other tags, along with several burn marks from flash weapons. The once green grass was gone, replaced now by a uniform field of black dirt. There were at least a hundred separate fires burning in the park, which made it the brightest point in this part of the city. And the place was packed with creatures of all descriptions. A large, horse-like beast with muscular arms projecting from its torso was munching on a smaller, Prime being, occasionally stopping to snort and stomp its front legs at others trying to steal its meal. Other creatures were being run down and devoured by savage gangs. The entire place appeared to be one huge buffet of alien flesh.
It was a strange sensation watching the crowd glare at the black vehicle as it made the loop around the park on the way to the secondary road. But something wasn’t right. Aliens, who moments before were individuals engaged in a fight to survive, were now talking with each other, staring and pointing. A group of beasts in tattered uniforms stepped from the gathering crowd. They carried communicators and Xan-fi flash rifles. Two of them were speaking into their comm devices.
“What’s this all about?” Monty asked. It was like a wave was sweeping over the park, taking everyone with it. Groups with blue, red and yellow stains on their foreheads were clustering together, as more weapons appeared and obvious factions formed.
“I don’t like this,” Summer said. “Do they react this way to every car that comes by?”
“That is highly unlikely,” Tidus said. He was right. Although seeing another vehicle on the road at night was a rarity, it wasn’t unheard of. They’d already passed several during their brief trip. “They appear to be paying special attention to us.”
“The Cartel has put out the word; they’re looking for us,” Monty offered.
Tidus waved a hand at the gathering crowd outside. “These beings do not take orders from the Cartel. The only thing that would cause such a reaction is the promise of credits.”