Star Yawns Episode 7. A Few Good Cadets by David & Sabine Williams Smashwords Edition Copyright 2014

by David Williams

  * * * *

  Flip and 22 were frankly bored and becoming irritable with one another. They had tossed around some improbably ideas about escape but in the end they were back where they started.

  The day was beginning to warm up and it was already becoming stuffy in that small room. There was nothing to do and Flip didn’t really think listening to 22 was all that exciting.

  Suddenly they heard some noise out in the compound. It sounded like a lot of people talking. “ Hop on my shoulders again.” He said to her.

  “ I want to know what’s going on.”

  He lifted her up and she looked out of the window. “ There are a few people milling at the entrance to the compound. I think it is your people, who are looking for you.”

  He lifted her down and few moments later the door was unlocked and it was pushed open. “ Come with me.” The man said. He then led them to the entrance of the compound.

  To Flips amazement and relief Oh-No was standing there with Kazzie-Spockers, plus 2 evens who appeared to be mother and daughter.

  “ This is the cadet we have been searching for. We wish to take him back to the ship.” Oh-No declared.

  “ Cadet, you appear to be unharmed. ” Kazzie-Spockers said.

  “ I am not harmed at all but I must say I am very glad to be found.”

  “ What happened here?”

  Before anyone could answer a group of the even authorities came marching up with Commander La Trenne. They barged through the entrance and the odds fell back with looks of dismay and fear.

  Elgin246 led the group and all the men were armed with phasers and they were all very angry. “ We understand you have taken this cadet as a prisoner, not to mention this even young lady.” He pointed at 22.

  “ There must be some mistake Sir,” said 35 respectfully. “ This cadet asked us if he could stay here, he and the girl are not prisoners.”

  “ You will not lie!” Elgin246 brutally slapped 35 across the face, much to Flips shock. Elgin246 shoved him. “ She would never ask to stay here, not in a place like this.”

  35 took an unexpected and aggressive stance towards Elgin246. “ Do not slap me again or you will regret it.”

  There was an instant of shocked silence in the crowd as Elgin246’s eyes widened with astonishment. He noted that all the odds had moved up behind 35 but it was unclear to Flip if they meant to do more than show them any support.

  Elgin246 stood up close to 35, shoving his face into his. “ You watch how you talk to me! I can have you locked up for aggression towards an even. I’m watching you.”

  35 stood silently, his eyes on the other man, while his hand moved up to wipe the blood from his lip.

  “Ynnej648622 what is the meaning of your presence here?” the older woman hissed at 22. “ Just what do you think you are up?”

  “ I can’t explain now Mother.” 22 seemed more irritable than worried about her parent, who huffed and mumbled something dire under her breath.

  “ I want answers and I want them now!”

  During the past few minutes 22 had been warring with two opinions in her mind. She felt a little sorry for 35 when she saw him get his face slapped and she gave him a sympathetic look. He may be an odd but he had pride and for him to be humiliated before her was shameful. But when he noticed the look and did not respond to her, it hurt her and also made her angry. He had put her in this position and thinking about the time she had spent in that cell made her even angrier.

  Elgin246 looked at the faces of the odds and smiled cruelly. “ My sources tell me that weapons are in this compound.”

  35 flinched and 22 gasped. Elgin246 immediately turned to her. “ You as a loyal subject will tell me if there are weapons here. Do you have any knowledge of such a thing?”

  She trembled. “ Excuse me Sir but … well… yes, there are lots of weapons in that house over there. But I didn’t see any of the odds touch them.”

  She heard the gasp go up from the crowd and felt more than saw 35 stiffen beside them. It was surprise that she had covered for them but also that she hadn’t kept the truth from Elgin246 either. It was a diplomatic masterpiece of ingenuity. She looked innocent so Elgin246 hardly looked at her once she had spoken.

  “ Is that so?” Elgin246 said. He immediately signaled to his men to search the house. Everybody waited while his men ran over to the house and knocked down the door. Three men entered the premises and were gone more than ten minutes. Upon their return their leader called out, “ Nothing here Sir, the house is clean.”

  Elgin246 turned to 35. “ Where are they, where are the weapons?”

  35 answered looking chiefly at 22. “ This even girl is mistaken Sir. Where would we get weapons? We would not even know what to with them.”

  Elgin246 struck him again. “ You lie! Everyone knows that we can’t take the word of an odd, for anything.” He turned to his men and gave them orders. “ You will guard this compound and keep on watch. If you even see what looks like a weapon shoot to kill. Only the odds who have jobs and who have a good reason are permitted to leave here. I am putting an end to any thoughts of rebellion here and now.”

  He turned to 22. “ You did the right thing as a loyal citizen. You may leave with your mother. Please stay available for any further questioning. We shall investigate further and if there are weapons here or any sign of any rebellion we shall take matters into our hands. You there, you odds, move to the other side of the compound. My second in command will deal with you and any duties you may have.”

  35 turned, sending 22 a blank look that told nothing of his emotions but his body language told of defiance and anger. 22 stood looking after him for a few minutes, then she turned, smiled wanly at Flip and allowed her mother and sister to take her home.

  Flip smiled back but truthfully he was glad it was over and he could finally go back to the DVD. It had been a long eventful day and night.

  Elgin246 then turned to Flip. “ You Cadet have much explaining to do. The crew of your ship were only allowed on the surface of this planet under certain conditions. The rules stated that you were not to have any contact with the odds. You have not kept to the arrangement so you will come with me to Detention.”

  Kazzie-Spockers immediately stood before Flip and fixed her cool eyes on Elgin246. “ Negative. We cannot allow that. He was detained against his will and nothing is his fault. You may further apply to our Captain on this matter but you have no authority to detain him nor incarcerate him further. We do not give you permission.”

  Elgin246 roared, “ I need no permission. He has broken laws. He must be detained in our facilities. There will be questions and he must answer them immediately.” The men with him murmured in agreement but Kazzie-Spockers stood firm and stared them down.

  Oh-No interrupted. “ This is not necessary, we will deal with him on board the DVD. We intend to leave orbit in a few hours. We cannot leave without our full crew. Our Captain will be glad to deal with the matter with the authorities and pay any fines outstanding.”

  “ Leave whenever you like Other Worlder but this cadet will remain here on Tarrago. That will be all. If you try to stop us, we shall arrest you for impeding an investigation. We have laws on this planet and all other Worlders must abide by them. Any interference on your part will be seen as an act of aggression. Stand aside. Take him!”

  Flip knew that there was nothing to be done. Oh-No said to him, “ Don’t worry it won’t be for long. We shall come and get you through the proper channels.”

  “ I’ll be okay,” Flip nodded, resigned to more of the same treatment he had been experiencing thus far. When he remembered how eager he had been for shore leave he couldn’t say that it has been worth it so far. At this rate he was going to be glad to go on duty and work long shifts for a rest from this kind of excitement.

  Elgin246 and his men confiscated a vehicle, they took Flip and put him into one of them and drove away from the compound.

  On arrival at the station where Elgin2
46 had his office, Flip was put into a holding cell. He felt like he had gone from one jail to another.

  Elgin246 had a counterpart at this station whose name was Appiz824. These two were older men and they had kept the peace for many years. On arrival at the station, the two men had a conference.

  “ The odds have an arsenal of weapons at the compound it seems.” Elgin246 told him as soon as the door was closed.

  “ Do they? We had heard that they were able to stockpile weapons but there was no proof, are you sure this is true?”

  “ I never saw any weapons but I know it is true. The way the odds acted when the girl mentioned the weapons, I know it is true.”

  “ What do you intend to do about this?”

  Elgin246 smiled coldly. “ I intend to relieve the odds of their weapons, and quickly. I can see rebellion all over their faces and I must act swiftly to stamp out any resistance. They must accept that there will be no changes. They will not have any more rights than they do now. It is unacceptable to accede to their wishes in any way or else it will weaken our position. We must stay strong and in control. We are the masters and they are our servants. It has been this way for two hundred years and nothing will change. I will fight to make sure we keep what we have.”

  “ Do you have a plan?”

  “ Yes we must get all the troops together to storm the compound and seize all the weapons. I don’t think they could have had time to remove them or else not very far. It takes time to do so and it must be an undetected activity. I think we shall find what we want and we can use the raid to our advantage. Their attempt at fighting us will all be over very soon. We shall win and they shall fail.”

  “ I’ll get onto it right away.”

  “ Yes make your calls quickly. We must crush the odds before they have a chance to do move ahead with their plans.”

  Appiz824 left the room and went straight to a communication device.