by T. R. Harris
“So … raiders really did attack you?”
Jay blinked with surprise. “How did you know that?”
“Rans sent a message just before he died.”
“No shit?”
“No shit. I just got back from Hax’on. I thought you stole the Ed Gibson.”
Jay buried his bloody and swollen chin in his chest. “You did? Why the hell would you think that?”
The unarmed alien at the door made a kind of grunting sound. “Give me your attention,” he demanded.
Jay looked at him. “Watch out, Riyad! They’re the pirates who attacked us. They took the weapons, and they’ve been trying to kill me all day.”
“Pirates?” said the alien, sounding insulted. “We are not pirates!”
Jay blinked. “You’re not?”
“No, we are of the Gradis Cartel.”
Riyad nodded knowingly. “Same thing.”
“Why are you trying to kill me?” Jay inquired.
“We are not trying to kill you. We are not here to kill anyone. I do not even know who you are.”
“You don’t? Then you didn’t take the weapons?”
“No, we did not take the weapons.”
“Then it was the pirates.” Jay breathed.
Riyad sat down on the edge of his bed, unable to stand any longer. He looked up at the tall alien. “So, if you’re not the ones who attacked Jay on Hax’on, and you’re not here to kill either my tough little friend or me, then what are you doing here?”
The alien appeared relieved that he could now relay his intended message.
“Riyad Tarazi, I am here to inform you that we have captured your friends, Adam Cain and Sherri Valentine, and we are holding them hostage.”
Riyad let out a deep breath and shook his head.
“You’re holding Adam and Sherri hostage?” He smiled. “And you’re still alive?”
“I do not understand. We are the ones holding them hostage.”
“Yeah, sure. That’s what I thought.” Riyad had heard that story before. He wasn’t too worried. “And why are you holding them hostage?” he continued, indulging the alien.
“We will hold them until you reveal to us the location of the weapons you have stolen.”
Riyad laughed … and then winced in pain. He was sure he had a bruised rib or two.
“And these would be the same weapons the pirates took from my friend? Why do you think I would know where they are?”
“You sponsored the expedition, but that is not important. What is important is that your friends will surely die unless you tell us what we want to know. I have informed my superiors of your arrival. We have been waiting. Now that you are here you have but an hour to reveal the location. Otherwise the other Humans will die.”
“But I don’t know where they are. Isn’t that obvious from what you just heard?”
“What you said is confusing, but it does not matter. All I know is that if you do not know the location, then your friends will die.”
The alien stepped back into the store and removed a communicator from his pocket. He began to open a link.
“Wait!” Jay called out.
Riyad looked at him suspiciously. So did the alien.
“What do you wish to say?”
Jay looked at Riyad and let out a deep sigh.
Riyad’s eyes grew wide. “I knew it, you lying bastard!” He rose to his feet, which wasn’t an easy task now that his body had stiffened up. “You do have them!”
“I don’t—honestly. But I may know where they are.”
“Tell me,” the alien demanded.
Jay hesitated.
“What the hell, Williford; tell him! This is Adam and Sherri we’re talking about. Do you want to get them killed?”
“Of course not.” Jay looked at the alien and took a deep breath. “I think they’re on the planet Masnin. It’s here in the Liave system, less than an hour away. It’s also known as L-7.”
“You placed them there?”
“No, I did not!” Jay said emphatically, looking at Riyad. “It was the raiders. I think that’s where they hide most of the stuff they steal. It’s close to Liave-3, and no one goes there anymore.”
“Where on the planet are they to be found?”
“That I don’t know. All I know is we landed there with the shipping containers and then left several hours later. But twenty thousand weapons shouldn’t be too hard to find.”
“Twenty thousand!” Riyad exclaimed, wobbling where he stood. “What happened to the four hundred rifles you said were on Hax’on?”
“You said there were only four hundred devices?” the alien queried in shock. “You would lie to your own kind?”
“I didn’t know there were that many,” Jay said in his defense. “Not initially. The raiders opened up some of the other warehouses. They were in there.”
“I saw the open warehouses,” Riyad confirmed. “I just didn’t know there were that many.”
“Neither did I. And now the pirates have them.”
Riyad stepped up to the alien. “There, now you know where the weapons are. And as I told you originally, I never knew where they were. So, tell your people and then let my friends go.”
“I will inform Pannel, but I doubt he will release them, not without confirmation.”
“What confirmation?” Jay asked in a panic. “They’re on Masnin, probably in one of the old mine shafts, and guarded by an army of pirates. That’s all I know. You’re going to have to take my word for it.”
“I have heard your words, yet I do not have to take anything. Any what? I am confused by your remark.” The alien’s eyes began blinking rapidly.
“It means you’re going to have to trust me. I have no way of proving they’re on Masnin, or where they’re being stored. That’s just my best guess.”
The alien considered the two Humans suspiciously for a moment before backing out of the room again and making his link. He returned a few minutes later.
“You are to be taken to Masnin,” he said to both Jay and Riyad. “There you will find the hidden weapons and assist in their recovery. You will have two days to complete the mission.”
“We can’t go there,” Jay gasped. “The pirates will kill us, kill us all.”
“We have considerable forces at our disposal. The Gradis does not fear pirates. You are to come with us. We will meet Pannel and our sponsor at the spaceport. We leave upon your arrival.”
“I told you I don’t know where they are!” Jay screamed.
“You said they are on the planet Masnin.”
“I don’t know where on Masnin, you idiot. What are we going to do, move into orbit and start surveying the whole fucking planet? Yeah, no one’s going to notice that, especially not the pirates.”
“Leave the methods to us. You will guide us. Then once the weapons have been recovered, your friends will be set free. However, delay in the search—or fail to find the weapons—and they die.”
“You want to put some money on that?” Riyad asked with more humor than his aching body deserved. The confused alien stared at him for a moment more before leaving the room in a huff. Armed aliens moved in after that and began to lead the two Humans from the room.
“Wait,” said Riyad. “Can I at least take my toothbrush?”
The brilliant smile he flashed at the aliens was dulled by the coating of blood on his once pearly whites. Even so, one of the creatures took exception to his supposed death challenge and smashed his pistol over Riyad’s head. After that, Riyad had to be carried to the waiting transport. He couldn’t walk while unconscious.
23
Captain Lospen Calos arrival was announced by the guards, and he was led into Dal’s office without delay.
“Forgive, Dal, but my crew has been harder to locate than expected,” he began without prompting. “That is why I have not left. Once they were released, many were absorbed into the taverns of Kanac. I have now located all but two of them, and in only one instance was informati
on divulged about the weapons. I have personally remedied that situation.”
Calos spoke fast to get his excuse on the record before Dal could react to his insubordination.
“I understand, Captain,” Dal said pleasantly. He walked around his desk and placed a comforting hand on the shoulder of his nervous employee. “You need not worry about your missing crew members. You could not find them … because I already have.”
Dal could tell Calos wasn’t pleased with the statement, but he tried hard to hide his displeasure. “Then, then where are they? May I take them back to my ship? One is my third-officer and a friend.”
Dal grimaced. “I regret to inform you that that will not be possible. It seems both have been dealt with in a very deliberate and permanent manner.”
“Did they reveal information regarding the weapons?” Calos asked quickly. “If so, then I fully support your actions, no matter how harsh they may appear.”
Dal smiled. The captain was intuitive; he could sense something was out of the ordinary. Talking about the weapons in a drunken stupor would not normally carry a death sentence since the pirates had not been instructed to keep the information a secret before leaving the ship. However, Calos was not about to argue against Dal’s actions.
“It is good to know that I have your full support,” Dal said, “for there is another matter on which I seek your advice.”
“Advice? Of course! I can help.”
“Good. First, I must draw the scenario for you, then ask what you would do if you were in my place.” Calos nodded emphatically. Dal began. “Suppose during a clandestine operation a witness was left alive when you were told specifically that no such witness survived.”
Dal held up his free hand to stop Calos’ panicked protest.
“But there is more. Suppose this non-existent witness somehow managed to stow away aboard a vessel under your command and arrive back at the home base, possessing knowledge of said clandestine operation and anxious to spread the news, news which would be catastrophic to your employer should it become known. Given this hypothetical scenario, what actions would you take to remedy the situation, Captain Calos?”
Through the hand on the raider’s shoulder, Dal felt Calos trembling, with his breath coming in fits. “Dal, I am sorry. There has been a complete breakdown of security protocols. I take full responsibility and will personally see to the discipline of my crew and the crews of the other ships. It will never happen again. I promise.”
Dal nodded. “I am glad to hear that. Now, what about the witness? What steps would you take to stop him from talking?”
“That is obvious. I would send assassins out to find and kill him.”
“That is also good, especially since in this scenario, you know exactly where he is hiding.”
Calos’ rapid nodding made it look as though he was having a seizure. “Yes, that is fortunate. Then it should be a simple matter of eliminating the witness.”
Dal continued to grin as he returned to his desk, opened a side drawer, and withdrew a projection dagger. The tiny weapon fit comfortably in Dal’s hand, appearing as just the handle, minus the blade. Calos focused on the weapon, his eyes wide with terror. The blade was contained in the handle but could be extended with a simple press of a button. Then the microscopic laser beam running along the edge of the blade would be activated, heating to two thousand degrees in an instant. Although small, the blade could slice through nearly any material as if it wasn’t there.
Calos nervously stood his ground as Dal walked back over to him, again placing his free hand on his shoulder. Dal was enjoying this, seeing the pure terror in the eyes of his big captain. He so wanted to flee, but that would only guarantee a certain outcome. Calos was hoping—no, praying—he was reading Dal wrong.
“The problem with your assumptions, Captain Calos, is that the single, unarmed witness happened to be the Human leader of the expedition, and he managed to kill or injure most of the assassins and then escape. His location is now unknown, yet it is believed he will attempt a rendezvous with the other Humans in Balamar.”
“I will lead the next raiding party!” Calos announced with passion. “I will take my entire crew if required. I will personally correct his tragic turn of events. You can trust me, Dal. I will not fail you.”
“I am glad that you have reaffirmed your loyalty to me. That is quite reassuring. Experienced captains, such as yourself, are hard to find and even harder to replace—”
Dal swung the hand holding the dagger into Calos’ stomach, catching the big alien off guard. Calos’ eyes bulged out, and his stomach sank in as he reacted to the dagger.
It took a moment for him to realized Dal had not extended the blade. It was merely the handle pressing against his midsection.
He began to breathe again, a nervous smile on his face.
“Your lesson has been learned, Dal. I repeat; I will not fail you, not again.”
“That is good to know, Captain Calos. And not surprisingly, I believe you.”
“You do?” Calos questioned without thinking.
“Not really.”
And that was when Dal pressed the button and extended the blade.
24
“Interesting,” Adam Cain said as he kicked at the bottom of the composite wall panel in the room in which he and Sherri were being held captive. They were in Kanac somewhere, where there were very few well-constructed buildings in the city. Most were thrown-together hovels. The rooms looked imposing enough, and the doors guarded. But the walls themselves were another story.
Sherri let out a short laugh as she received Adam’s message loud and clear.
“Will they never learn?” she whispered. Even if the room was bugged, Adam was confident the aliens wouldn’t understand what they were talking about.
Adam and Sherri still wore the heavy-duty shackles on their wrists, clasped in front of them; however, their feet were unbound, so they were free to move around the room. There wasn’t much here, just a bed, a table, two chairs, a partitioned off grooming station. And no window. The room was lit by a single row of fluorescent-type light bulbs.
Adam had a severe headache; probably from a slight concussion when the Gradis leader clobbered him with the metal club. Sherri wasn’t any better. Her left arm was red and inflamed from where she’d taken a level-2 flash bolt. She had on a sleeveless blouse at the time, so the rest of her clothing was intact. Even though they were alive and in relatively good condition, they were both humiliated at having been taken hostage. That wasn’t an easy thing to do.
But there were over twenty of the bad guys against just the two Humans, so they cut themselves some slack. They could delight in the knowledge that nine of the Gradis troops were dead and six seriously injured. Unfortunately, by the time they arrived at the building in Kanac and their blindfolds removed, reinforcements were in place. The building was swarming with Cartel troops.
Even so, Adam and Sherri had no doubt they could get out of the room. A battering-ram-like attack on one of the walls would be enough to rip out the whole panel. What they would do after that was the question. They would still have their hands shackled, which could get awkward in any prolonged fight.
So they decided to wait it out. The problem is they didn’t know for how long. They had no idea when Riyad would return or if he would have the information the Cartel wanted. It became a game of wait-and-see.
The door opened thirty minutes later, and the aliens Pannel and Sirous entered, the Cartel boss carrying an MK flash pistol in a holster around his waist. As they entered, Adam noticed two giant alien beasts flanking the door, armed to the teeth, standing guard.
Both of the aliens who entered the room showed signs of the earlier battle. The side of Pannel’s face looked angrier, beginning to yellow and appearing more swollen than before. The side of his mouth was contorted, and Adam imagined he would have a hard time talking, even harder than before. Adam smiled again.
Sirous had various cuts on his face and arms from shrapn
el flying through Riyad’s store during the battle. Adam lost sight of him as soon as the shooting started, assuming the big-eyed alien ducked for the nearest cover, cowering in fear until it was over. That’s what people like him did in a time of crisis.
But now Sirous was in a better mood, despite his minor injuries.
“I have news for you,” he began. “Riyad Tarazi has returned to Liave-3 and will now be presented with the ultimatum regarding your welfare.” Sirous had removed the heavy sunglasses he wore outside, and now Adam knew why he wore them. His eyes were the size of golf balls, with the dark pupils filling nearly the entire volume. They were both disturbing and hypnotizing to watch, making Adam speculate on the lighting conditions on his homeworld. Either his sun was dim, or the planet was perpetually shrouded in cloud cover. Sirous seemed to even have little trouble with the dull lighting in the room.
“Then I suppose you’ll be setting us free pretty soon,” Sherri said. She was baiting him for information, Adam knew. The alien didn’t disappoint.
Sirous let out a low-pitch squeak which Adam figured passed for a laugh on his planet. “I would have assumed you would realize the helplessness of your situation.” He looked at Pannel before continuing. “For over four standard years, I have been treading very dangerous ground, struggling mightily to keep knowledge of my activities a secret. This pertains to more than just the prototype weapons I built. You see, I have been planning a revolution on my homeworld, designed to place me at the head of the government.” He squeaked again. “Indeed, beyond the government. I feel it is my rightful place to be in complete control.”
“We call that being a dictator where I come from,” Adam offered.
“Ah, very good. Dictator, as in to dictate terms without opposition. I shall use that. Thank you. But continuing, you can imagine how that might go over on my world if others were to find out. That is why anyone with knowledge of the weapons, or my intentions, is put to death. That will include you, as well as Riyad Tarazi.”
Adam looked at Pannel and frowned. Sirous caught the expression. He smiled and looked once again at his much taller companion.