Snatched

by Vijaya Schartz

  Grayson patted a brushed metal wall. "Safe inside its own vault, built by the machines overnight."

  "A vault?" Zania figured it would resist her primitive explosives, but she saw no door or sophisticated lock. "How do you get inside?"

  "You can’t. It’s completely sealed off." Grayson offered an apologetic shrug. "Only the machines have access through their own remote network."

  That was a new problem to Zania. "How about maintenance drones? Can they get in? Are there cooling shafts?"

  Grayson shook his head.

  In Zania’s world one could always pull the plug. "Have you tried cutting off the power source?"

  "I can’t." Grayson pursed his lips. "The brain is energized remotely by the satellites and by any ambient light in the city. Every roof, every wall has a thin coating that acts as a solar cell."

  "Just perfect!" That complicated things and would require creativity.

  Svend pounded the metal wall with one fist, as if to evaluate its strength. "So we need to destroy what’s behind that wall."

  "Can we drill it?" Zania hoped.

  "With the right tool, maybe." Gray rubbed his prickly jaw. "But it would take too much time."

  Svend frowned. "We don’t have time." Taking a step back, he grabbed the battle axe hanging from his belt. Holding it with both hands, he flexed his muscles then hacked at the wall with all his might.

  The axe impacted with a dull clank then bounced back. The wall didn’t even display a scratch where the axed had hit. So much for that idea.

  The faint sound of a cheer rising from the lobby indicated that the warriors downstairs had overcome the drones. But they didn’t know that more drones gathered outside and would soon pierce through the reinforced concrete.

  "What about acid?" Zania remembered from old movie flicks that bank robbers sometimes used acid to get into vaults.

  Grayson’s eyes lit up and he smiled. "Actually, I’m studying a new substance in the lab. It’s an alien compound the computers asked me to study, so I could suggest means of defense against it. It’s harmless for organic substances but eats right through most minerals. That might do the job."

  Zania rejoiced at the first glimpse of hope. "But the electronics themselves, are they impervious to explosives?"

  Grayson’s dark eyes sparkled. "I doubt it. The brain is delicate, like a human brain."

  "Good." At last, Zania had a strategy. "So, if we melt a hole, slip the explosives inside, then light the fuse, the blast will be contained by the vault, but the electronics inside will be destroyed. Right?"

  "Yes." Grayson rubbed his hands together in excitement. "It should work."

  Svend leaned against the metal wall, arms crossed over his chest. "What about the satellites?"

  All eyes turned to Svend. Important question indeed.

  Grayson’s bushy eyebrows furrowed in concentration. "After we destroy the computer, the satellites will continue to operate according to their default directive."

  "Which is?" It never hurt to be clear about what they were up against, as Zania knew too well.

  Grayson snapped his fingers. "Zap any human caught in the open outside of the city shields."

  "Damn!" Gray mumbled. "That’s not good enough."

  "We can think about that later." Grayson took his brother by the shoulder. "You know where my lab is in the basement?"

  Gray nodded.

  "Can you go get the compound?" Grayson scribbled a note and gave it to Gray then pulled out a card from his pocket. "Here is my pass. Hurry."

  Gray read the note, took the card and left the room quickly.

  Another idea germinated in Zania’s mind. "How strong are the city shields?"

  "Force ten," Grayson stated with scientific pride. "They can resist a sustained attack of nuclear missiles, vaporize any asteroid the satellites might have missed, deflect lasers, phasers, and any kind of known weapons."

  "Will they still operate after the main computer is dead?" Zania hoped they would.

  "Yes." Grayson seemed delighted. "They have an independent network and can be manually controlled to adapt to various situations."

  "If they can stop an asteroid," Zania mused aloud, "Could they possibly hold a volcanic eruption?"

  "Well..." Grayson paused, perplexed. "They would protect the city, but then the ash would accumulate on top of the shields. We would all die a slow death, with no light, no power, no air, no food..."

  "That’s not what I meant." Zania’s thoughts ran too fast. "Could the shields contain an eruption from within?"

  The scientist stared at Zania with round eyes. "I never thought of it that way, but we could reverse the polarities."

  "Great!" Zania’s strived to slow down her thoughts so she could explain. "And could the shields be extended far enough outside the city to cap the mountain and contain the toxic gasses, the pyroplastic blast, the dust and the flying rocks?"

  Grayson’s forehead creased with intense concentration. "I’d have to make some calculations... It might be possible."

  "It would force the lava underground," Zania mused aloud.

  Svend nodded. "The tunnels will not be safe. We have to destroy the satellites so we can walk in the open."

  The matter of the satellites bothered Zania, too. No large population could hide from the nasty weapons for long. And once detected in the open, the fugitives would be exterminated.

  Svend checked his satchel. "We need more explosives. I’ll go downstairs and bring whatever is left."

  "Good." Zania wondered how far Gray had gone. On the screen showing the capitol, the drones outside the building drilled the walls diligently.

  On another screen flashed the image of a ship in space. Zania recognized its shape and configuration. How could she ever forget? She pointed at the image. "A Collector ship?"

  As if in response, the screen blinked then displayed the giant face of the Collector Zania had met before, same shifty eyes, round face, pot belly, and he played with his cane. "Citizens of Dagora, greetings from the Collectors."

  Grayson touched the screen and answered. "Dagora is in crisis and does not require your services at this time."

  The Collector snapped at attention, as if slapped in the face. "We offer a wide variety of goods and services unavailable on your planet." His expression softened. "For a few bars of precious metal, We guarantee satisfaction, and pleasures beyond your realm of sensations."

  Grayson shook his head, visibly annoyed. "Pleasures are forbidden on this planet. Besides, this is not the best time." Grayson reached to sever the communication.

  "Wait!" Zania stepped in front of the giant screen. "Can you really provide any kind of service?"

  "For a fee." Interest sparked in the Collector’s beady black eyes.

  "The citizens of this city are in mortal danger," Zania pleaded, hoping against all odds that these traders had a heart. "The volcano is about to explode, and they are not safe in their city."

  The Collector gazed upon her haughtily. "And how would this be any concern of mine?"

  Zania feigned losing interest. "I thought you had powerful weapons on your ship."

  "The best in all the known galaxies," the Collector stated with obvious pride.

  "What if... For a very handsome fee..." Zania paused, enjoying the new eagerness in the Collector’s face. "I asked you to destroy the defense satellites orbiting this planet. Just so they do not kill innocent citizens fleeing for their lives."

  The Collector’s brow shot up. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. That would be an act of aggression. We would lose our trading licence in this sector. And our trade is very profitable." The Collector squinted. "You look familiar. Have we met before?"

  "I doubt it." Zania lied, suddenly realizing the precariousness of her position. An escaped slave asking them to destroy planetary defenses?

  "I do know you." The Collector consulted his electronic tablet then smiled smugly. "You are Zania, a fighting Amazon, aren’t you?"

  "It’s not important."


  "Indeed." The cold smile on the pudgy man’s face resembled that of a snake. "Maybe We can do business after all. No one knows our ship is here, and once the satellites are destroyed, there will be no trace of our visit."

  "That’s right." Grayson smiled, finally catching up with Zania’s plan. "No one has to know."

  "This could get expensive." The Collector stared at Zania. "We have a great demand for Rhodium."

  "How much Rhodium?" Zania hoped she didn’t sound eager.

  The Collector consulted his tablet for a quick calculation. "If you bring me three cubic barrels of Rhodium ingots, I will consider your request. But you have to bring them yourself."

  "Myself?" Zania wondered what prompted The Collector’s new condition. A shiver of panic raised the hair at her nape. Would they hold her prisoner in order to resell her? This time, however, Zania would be fully armed and better prepared. "What guarantees do I have that you will keep your word?"

  "None." The Collector’s hand drummed the pommel of his cane. "But We did not gain our excellent reputation as traders throughout the galaxies by not keeping our word."

  Zania turned to Grayson. "Do you have access to Rhodium?"

  Grayson smiled devilishly. "I will, as soon as we are in control."

  "And how about a shuttle to get to the Collectors’ ship?"

  Grayson nodded. "I can arrange it."

  Zania turned toward the screen. "I’ll give you two cubic barrels of Rhodium. One in advance, and the second once the job is completed."

  "You drive a hard bargain for a slave," the Collector snarled.

  "That’s my final offer." Zania suppressed a sharper comment.

  The Collector eyed her for a moment then sighed heavily. "All right."

  "Good." That’s when Zania realized she still paid too much. The Collector had accepted too easily. But she’d made a deal. Facing the screen, she couldn’t help her defiance. "Ready your weapons, Collector. I’m coming within the hour."

  Before Grayson turned off the communication, Svend walked in with Gray, who held a wooden bowl.

  "The Collectors?" Svend spit the words as he laid down the satchels he carried. He knelt and extracted from them several home made bombs. "What do they want?"

  Zania couldn’t allow his hatred for the Collectors to jeopardize the mission. "They offered to destroy the satellites... for a steep fee."

  "You can’t trust them," Svend grumbled.

  "I don’t, but I trust their greed." Zania helped him get out the bombs. "Do you have a better idea?"

  Svend shook his head dejectedly.

  Grayson took the wooden bowl from his brother's hands with reverence, then he approached the vault wall. With bare hands, he smeared the gooey compound in a circle the size of a head. Then he stepped back. "This should do it."

  Zania couldn’t imagine how a substance could eat through metal and not damage the skin. The compound hissed as it melted thick layers of reinforced steel, until the thick metallic circle fell off with a clang.

  Gray and Grayson grabbed it and pulled it away, revealing a dark hole full of cables.

  Zania and Zvend packed about ten bombs inside the hole, leaving a long fuse. Svend lit the fuse.

  "Fire in the hole!" Zania grabbed the satchel with the unused explosives and rushed out the door to the gallery. "Cover your ears."

  Gray and Grayson, who already waited on the gallery, closed the heavy door of the control room behind them. The four sat on the floor of the gallery. Zania plugged her ears with her fingers.

  For a few seconds, nothing happened. Would it work?

  Then the explosion rocked the building, shattering the glass panes. The vibration resonated through the entire lobby. The armored shutters outside the windows rattled then fell off the building, as if unhooked by a giant hand.

  Daylight poured in with a cool breeze, and Zania could now see into the street. Other buildings suffered broken windows as well. The frightened population scrambled away from the Capitol. The drones, previously clawing their way through the concrete wall, now lay on the ground, inert, as if spent or broken, like so much useless junk.

  After a few minutes, Gray opened the door and Zania re-entered the command center with Svend and the two brothers. They had succeeded. The liquid silver screens had shut down.

  Elation filled Zania’s chest. "We did it!"

  Svend grinned. "Let’s organize the evacuation."

  Zania smiled back. "You go ahead. I have one more thing to do before I can join you."

  "What?" Svend flashed a questioning glance.

  "I have to deliver the money to the Collectors." Although Zania feared Svend’s reaction, she couldn’t lie to him.

  "Let me go instead." The dangerous glint in Svend’s eyes matched the edge in his voice.

  "They specifically asked for me. It’s part of the deal"

  "Then I’m going with you."

  Zania smiled trying to persuade him. "Your authority is needed here. The tribes listen to you more than any other leader. Don’t worry. I’ll make sure the Collectors do the job."

  Gray touched Svend’s shoulder. "She is right. We need you here."

  "I don’t like it." Svend’s jaw muscles tightened. "You always volunteer for the most dangerous mission?"

  "I didn’t volunteer. But I’m a trained soldier and I will succeed." Zania leaned toward him for a kiss, but he didn’t meet her half way. She brushed his lips nevertheless. "I’ll be back as soon as it’s done, and I’ll find you. I promise." She caressed his cheek.

  Svend just stood there like a block of ice, jaw clenched. How endearing that he feared for her safety.

  "I’ll be careful." But Zania knew she may not return from this reckless mission. "We have no other choice. You said yourself that the satellites need to be destroyed or the citizens won’t stand a chance. We can’t let these people down."

  Svend sighed, his shoulders dropped, but he didn’t say a word, didn't even look at her. He just stepped away.

  Zania’s heart sunk. She wanted a warm, loving embrace, a kiss, something comforting to take with her and remember, in case she never made it back.

  Svend left the room through the open door. He didn’t glance back. His footsteps echoed in the gallery, and Gray followed him out. Zania could hear the warriors in the lobby, cheering the victory, but she didn’t feel like celebrating.

  She took a deep breath, steeling her resolve, then turned to Grayson. "Let’s do this."

  *****

  Half an hour later, Zania sat in the co-pilot seat of the shuttle, next to Grayson, with two cubic barrels of Rhodium ingots fastened to the floor behind her. It seemed like an excessive amount of precious metal, but when the volcano blew, it would bury all the riches of the city.

  "Are you sure you can pilot this thing?" Zania secured her satchel full of explosives on her lap.

  "Do not worry." Grayson smiled. "The shuttle is just another computer. And a small one at that."

  Zania remembered her flight down to the planet. "And the satellites won’t shoot us down?"

  "The satellites recognize the signature of our official shuttles." Grayson touched a few keys on the pilot’s screen. Lights blinked and inscriptions scrolled like a count down.

  Zania grabbed both arms of her seat as the shuttle rose straight up toward the city shields that shimmered against a pure blue sky. The ride went smoothly through the shields and beyond. Soon, she could see the belt of satellites, widely spaced around the planet.

  Grayson smiled. "See? We are almost there. Everything will be fine."

  Zania wished she could believe that but knew better. Too many things could go wrong.

  When she caught a glimpse of the Collectors’ ship, she shuddered at the memory of her previous stay there. What if they didn’t let her leave? If Zania had to fight her way out of the Collectors’ ship, so be it. But she would not leave until all the satellites were destroyed.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The shuttle docked into a vast landing ba
y and settled between two small vessels that resembled slick cigars. The air-locks hissed then the door panel lifted open. A shiver ran through Zania at the sight of the waiting guards marching toward the shuttle. They seemed only armed with prodding rods. Ignoring her, two of them boarded and loaded the first cubic container onto an anti-gravity plate.

  Zania touched Grayson’s arm. "You stay here," she whispered. "If I’m not back in two hours, or if anyone tries to get the rest of the cargo before I get back, just leave and save your life."

  Grayson nodded gravely. "Good luck."

  As soon as Zania jumped out of the levitating shuttle to the floor of the bay, Grayson closed the hatch. Glancing back, she saw him wave through the porthole.

  One guard scanned her with a small device with blinking lights. Zania wondered what he was looking for. High-tech weapons? The man eyed her sword suspiciously but didn’t object. Zania hoped the primitive explosives in her satchel would escape the sophisticated instruments. Satisfied, the guard motioned for her to follow and took the lead with his comrade.

  The cubic container sat on a plate floating at waist level above the floor as Zania followed the two guards across the bay. They passed neat rows of small vessels, all sitting in mid air, one meter above the floor. Some shuttles had smooth shells, others had sharp edges, sculpted with many depressions and ridges. The various metals, some dull, some black, others reflecting the light like mirrors, attested to the tastes of many different cultures. Most sported bright geometric emblems.

  Zania noticed several guards throughout the bay and more at each door. All eyed her blades suspiciously but no one challenged her.

  The small party exited the bay through a metal portal with a strange inscription. After going through, Zania glanced back and struggled to memorize the unfamiliar characters above the door, just in case she had to escape and fight her own way back to the shuttle. An elongated infinity sign, a long stem mushroom, and an approximate G. Then she followed the guards through the dull corridors.

  Zania wondered how she could outsmart the Collectors with all their technology. She only had home-made bombs, knives, a sword, and a prodding rod she could use to light the fuses, just in case...