Their captors shoved them through a series of passageways to the central corridor. Many from the non-combatant population were marching to the major exits, herded by the alien militia. Soon the invaders had marched them out of the compound into the cold evening air towards a queue leading to a massive aircraft filled with refugees – mostly women and children.
‘It must be a mission of mercy,’ Venetia said.
‘Funny sort of mercy,’ Jalaal muttered.
This was met by a harsh utterance from one of the militia.
They shuffled towards the refugee-prisoner ship. It was a long queue and the freezing air bit into them. There were three ramps leading into the ship. As they drew nearer, they were siphoned off into three groups and Jalaal and Venetia were separated. Jalaal protested and three guards leapt forward and struck him several times. Venetia began to shout also, her eyes filled with tears, her hair dishevelled. A guard shoved her forward.
Jalaal was taken out of the queue and pushed away from the group of prisoners. One of the guards removed a sidearm from its holster and a summary execution looked imminent.
Venetia was now half way up the middle ramp. Looking back, she could see Jalaal about to be shot. She tried to retrace her steps down the ramp, but it was too crowded with frantic refugees, anxious to leave the area, although unclear as their status with the invaders.
Astral-La, Alois and Helena appeared about thirty metres from Jalaal and his would-be assassins. Arabella had finally regained her strength, had linked to Astral-La and assisted her in jumping to Jalaal and Venetia. They arrived in time to see the Jalaal’s guards disputing over the method of execution. Why they should do this was extraordinary. Perhaps they were under orders not to treat the prisoners harshly. Unlikely.
Alois and Helena were well armed. Flinging themselves to the ground, they opened fire. The hostiles returned fire and both Alois and Helena were hit, but their body armour saved them from serious injury. They continued firing, which they did with precision.
Astral-La, protected by her smart-skin, rushed into the fray, and disrupted the hostiles enough to give Helena and Alois the advantage. She reached Jalaal and leapt down beside him; her intention to jump him out of harm’s way.
That was unnecessary, as the hostiles lay dead or wounded into immobility. Helena and Alois arrived and helped Jalaal to his feet.
‘Where is Venetia?’ Alois demanded.
Jalaal pointed to the aircraft. ‘They put her on that thing.’
On board the refugee ship, guards pushed Venetia into a seat and gestured that she buckled down. She was desperate and panicking. She was 3 million light years from home, a prisoner of aliens, and separated from her friends, who may have been killed. She was at the end of her endurance.
It was then that something in her snapped and she stopped panicking. She was a scientist, considered a genius by many; she could deal with this, or at least try, instead of moping. Unaware that it was Arabella seeking to influence her, she felt like a new person; afraid, but able to handle her fear; weak, but able to make decisions; disadvantaged, but able to see a way forward.
Having done little to connect to her smart-skin until now, except for learning the principal language spoken on the base, she realized that it could align her to various systems in the environment.
Well, too late for regrets. Due to the mind sharing she had done with Astral-La and Jalaal, and with help from Arabella – although she was unaware of this – she connected to the electronics around her. It was breath-taking, but this was not the time for rumination. She directed a signal to the system that controlled her restraints and they unlocked. They also unlocked the restraints of those nearby causing a commotion and alerting the guards. Taking advantage of this, she placed her skin in stealth, rose from her position, fled down the central florescent lit gangway, and entered the exit bay where the massive outer-doors were closing. Leaping, she cleared the doors, and fell to the ground without seriously hurting herself, still unaware that she was receiving assistance from Arabella.
Joy flooded through her when she saw Jalaal and Astra-La alive and in the company of Helena and Alois. But they were distraught by the sight of the aircraft preparing for take-off. Although looking towards Venetia, they did not see her because her skin was in stealth. Arabella, who had taken a liking to her, had nestled in her brain, and was now giving her a series of small but significant nudges, one which was to come out of stealth and show herself. Venetia hardly noticed, such was her excitement, but just before she reached Astral-La she neutralizes her stealth and leaped into view.
Astral-La cried out in surprise as Venetia descended upon them. ‘What happened? How?’
‘I don’t know. I just got things together and used the skin. How is Jalaal?’
But Jalaal was already there embracing her. ‘I thought I … we had lost you.’
‘No, I’m here,’ she laughed. ‘Now you have both of us.’
‘Both?’
‘Me and your wretched musical instrument.’
‘We must jump away,’ Astral said. ‘Helena and Alois, will you come. I think I can jump us all.’
‘We stay,’ Alois said. ‘It is our job. The real liberators will be here shortly.’
‘What?’
Helena spoke calmly but quickly. ‘These alien invaders are hired by those responsible for this place. The true liberators are yet to come. We expected them sooner. Hopefully, we will last out until they arrive. But you must save yourselves – now!’
‘But what about Sands?’ Astral-La asked.
‘She has gone already with the children. Now you must go.’
Astral-la grabbed her friends and made ready. Venetia and Jalaal thanked Helena and Alois with their eyes. Then they were gone.
Chapter 39
Flower-of-Sands, Daff, and Wanda sat on a ridge looking out across a landscape of mountains and plains. Daff had just finished explaining who Wanda was and why she was with them. The ridge seemed to be part of a plateau behind which were dark gaping caverns. The peculiar train that had brought them here had stopped in a shadowy pseudo-station with wet slimy walls that they were glad to be away from. Flower-of-Sands guessed they were in the Black Mountains, probably the furthest part from the general’s infamous compound. At the far end of the area was a rough airstrip, probably for smallish helicopter-type aircraft and fighters. There were no viable aircraft there now, just a few worn-out relics. The general had abandoned his secret compound and all those in it. The place was empty, cold, and getting colder.
Across the mountains and plains were sporadic flashes and distant thunder claps, not from weather but from air attacks and anti-aircraft weapons. Occasionally, exploding munitions cascaded across the mountains and distant grasslands. It looked beautiful from this distance, but she knew how lethal it was. The fighting was increasing. But who was fighting whom? The arrival of the alien invaders had changed and intensified the dynamic of the war. Suddenly, the world war had gone interplanetary.
‘I’m cold,’ Wanda complained.
‘Me too,’ Flower-of-Sands responded.
‘And me,’ Daff murmured moodily.
‘What can we do?’ Wanda asked, a pitiful element in her voice.
Flower-of-Sands sighed. ‘We can go back into the station, so called, and see if we can find something. The carriage will at least provide shelter.’
‘I don’t like that station. It feels all wrong.’
‘It’s just the shadows and damp. But at least it will be out of the wind.’
‘Will the others come?’ Daff asked, his voice edged with anxiety.
‘Astral-La, the dark woman who rescued you, is extremely capable and resourceful. She will be here.’ Flower-of-Sands wished she was as confident as she sounded.
A sudden violent flash sent them running towards the pseudo-station. The flash was so strong that it was like daytime. Then the light dimmed before blazing again. The sound of thunder was excruciating.
‘You look worried,’
Wanda stared apprehensively at Flower-of-Sands. ‘Do you think it a special explosion, what they call thermal …’
‘Could be. I don’t know enough about it …’
‘Look at that!’ Daff pointed at the sky. A large break in the clouds had appeared revealing a night sky alive with moving lights and balloon type objects.
‘Space-ships. Hundreds of them,’ Flower-of-Sands whispered, her voice filled with awe despite herself.
‘Sands.’
She spun around. Astral-La was simply there. Soundlessly, without any indication of arrival, she stood with Jalaal and Venetia, all three of them looking dazed and bemused.
‘We’re here. We made it. With Arabella’s help’ Astral-La went to her friend and embraced her. ‘Sands, let me formally introduce Jalaal and Venetia.’
‘You are from Earth,’ Flower-of-Sands said in English. ‘I have been there, many hundreds of years ago, but that is another story.’ They shook hands warmly.
‘And who is Arabella?’ Flower-of-Sands asked.
‘She is an energy being who is helping us. It’s a long story.’
‘What happens now?’ Jalaal said.
‘There is no working aircraft here as far as I can tell,’ Flower-of-Sands said, ‘but I think with help from Astral I may be able to connect with my pod. It will probably be in stealth and sleep mode to preserve energy.’
‘How big is this pod?’ Jalaal asked.
‘Not very big, but it could be useful, and serve as a base for a temporary camp. The technology could provide us with information.’
The sky was now continuously lit up with fighting aircraft.
‘Let’s link up and try to locate this pod,’ Astral-La said.
‘How do we do that?’ Venetia asked, never one for linking minds.
Astral-La answered with a sudden intake of breath. ‘I can feel her!’
‘Who?’ Venetia asked.
‘The one who has been helping us’.
‘What?’
‘We must link – all of us – now, including the children. One mind. One purpose. Sands, concentrate on your pod.’
They joined hands. Astral could feel Arabella working into her mind. It was exhilarating in a manner that was most unexpected. She wanted to scream as energy flowed through her. Instead, she let out a little cry.
‘I have contact. All of you, hold on to your belongings – such as they are. Nothing left lying about. We must leave immediately.’
Explosion reverberated across the plains and Flower-of-Sands closed her eyes and tried projecting her implant communication to the pod.
There was a long wait and their legs began to hurt with the effort of standing still. ‘Stay with it,’ Astral-La instructed her team. ‘Especially Wanda and Daff.’
After a desperately long interval, Flower-of-Sands felt a connection – faint because the pod was operating in extreme severe energy saving mode.
That was all that Astral-La and Arabella needed. The scene changed. They were at the edge of the desert where Flower-of-Sands had first landed, close to the fateful pond, the scene of Flower-of-Sands and Daff’s arrest. There was no sign of the pod.
‘It will be in stealth mode, but only lightly to save energy. It would have used camouflage to avoid detection. But I can feel it – over there!’
They followed Flower-of-Sands down a path that wound through a copse of withered trees and shrubbery to an area where the grass was soft and damp. Large boulders loomed around them, lit up in flashes by displays in the sky.
‘There!’ Flower-of-Sands pointed through the darkness. At the entrance to an indentation in the rocks was a shadowy shape, incorporeal, barely visible, even on close inspection.
‘It’s the pod.’ Flower-of-sands rushed forward. ‘I’m sure of it. I’m sure.’
She stood silently staring into the darkness and the pod sprang into view.
‘Am I glad to see you!’ Flower-of-Sands embraced the pod’s metallic surface.
Somewhere along the surface of the spherical pod a door slid open revealing a welcoming interior.
‘Let’s get inside out of the cold.’ Astral-La said.
‘Is there room for us all?’ Venetia said.
‘It’ll be a squash, but definitely. Whether it will move with us all in it, is another question.’
Flower-of-Sands went in first and adjusted the layout. It was a squeeze but they all got in and sat in a circle, cross legged facing one another. The doors slid shut. Flower-of-Sands linked her implant to the pod’s AI and a tube slipped down from the ceiling.
‘Drink from this if you are thirsty.’
They passed around the thin tube whilst Wanda produced the picnic prepared earlier by Venetia.
‘We need to consider our position,’ Jalaal said. ‘The planet we are on is hazardous and I can’t tell if these invaders are hostile or otherwise.’
‘Well, they tried to execute you, Jalaal,’ Venetia said. ‘That should tell you a lot.’
‘Those two who helped us said others were coming,’ Jalaal said. ‘It seems we are the middle of an Interplanetary war.’
‘Maybe,’ Astral-La muttered. ‘But we need a strategy, a plan.’
‘Not that again!’ Venetia whispered aside to Jalaal.
‘Our strategy,’ Jalaal said, ‘is to connect to the good guys, if they arrive.’
Flower-of-Sands emerged from an attempt to communicate with the pod’s AI.
‘It looks like the good guys have already arrived. The pod’s AI tells me that a massive attack is taking place … ‘
‘That much we have surmised,’ Jalaal laughed as he slid his musical instrument from the folds of his clothing. Pressing several buttons, he allowed the instrument to expand, and then began to play. The music was out of place, surreal in this unusual environment, but soothing, bringing a much-needed calmness as all of them were hyperactive from their recent escape from the general’s compound.
‘I will continue speaking, if that is okay,’ Flower-of-Sands said over the music. ‘Actually, massive is an understatement. An armada of war ships has entered the system, hundreds of them. They are invading, but their target is not the indigenous population, but the alien invaders that caused us to flee the general’s compound. Helena and Alois must be linked to the second invaders – in which case they are on our side and mercenaries acting on behalf of the Inquisition. It’s good news, or, at least, the best news so far. They could take us off this rock to a better place in the galaxy.’
‘This planet would be a better place if there was no war,’ Wanda said, her young eyes lit with defiance.
‘Yes, of course, Wanda, sorry. I’m just over excited.’
‘We need to try to contact them,’ Astral-La said.
Jalaal stopped playing. ‘It’s a gamble, but what do we have to lose.’
‘We might alert the hostiles,’ Venetia whispered to herself.
‘I think the hostiles have their work cut out. This second lot vastly outnumbers them, and I suspect, out techs them.’
‘Okay,’ Astral-La said. ‘Sands, do you want your skin back or shall I continue wearing it?’
‘You can have mine if you need it,’ Venetia said.
‘Keep them, it’s best, they know you now. Our implants, the smart-skins, the AI and all our minds linked should provide enough to penetrate the forces of the Inquisition, and make them see that it is not just a routine communication to be ignored as war rages.’
‘Let’s hope you are right,’ Wanda sighed as she rested on Daff’s shoulders.
‘Okay Wanda, all of us, in fact, let’s get to it.’ Flower-of-Sands reached up to a control panel and began adjusting. ‘Let us connect. Link your minds with Astral who will link with me and I will do the rest.’
They were silent as Flower-of-Sands connected to the AI communications system. Soon a message had been sent into space that would, with luck, find a recipient amongst the crew of the new invaders. It was in every language they had at their disposal, and it was a risk, but
a risk they were each willing to take.
After an hour, they were exhausted and decided to rest. Jalaal played and sang and the children slept. Venetia drew close to Jalaal, her eyes closed as the music filled her mind, drowning out thoughts of war and attack.
A screen that ran across the roof of the pod sprang to life, revealing that fighting was occurring nearby. The children woke and stared at the screen. ‘Awesome,’ Wanda mouthed.
‘Sands, can we go outside and watch?’ Daff said excitedly.
‘No, you can’t. You could be struck by a stray round, or explosion.’
‘But it’s a long way from here. And no one cares about us.’
‘No, absolutely not. That’s final.’
The battle above them was breath-taking. The original invaders had sophisticated fighters that were in mortal combat with dark, sleek fighters from the second invaders. They spun around each other like mosquitoes.
‘The dark ones,’ Daff said. ‘Are they winning.’
‘I hope so,’ Flower-of-Sands said.
‘Are they the good guys?’
‘I hope so.’
A melodic sound emerged from the AI. Flower-of-Sands was quiet for a few seconds and then she spoke.
‘I have received a message from the AI. Our message to the second invaders has been received.’
‘Oh, God, that’s scary,’ Wanda said.
‘Do they have our coordinates?’ Venetia asked.
‘We should assume so, yes.’
Without warning, the action ceased. The new arrivals had seen off or destroyed the representatives of the corrupt Unseen. The balance of power on this planet had shifted. At last, the Inquisition was acting and their mercenaries were in ascendance.
‘We can only wait,’ Astral-La said quietly.
Silence reigned and they waited.
It appeared suddenly out of nowhere. A heavily fortified and armed lander, hovering over the sand.
A great voice boomed in the language of Daff and Wanda.
VACATE YOUR VEHICLE AND STEP INTO THE OPEN
‘Looks like we had better do what it says.’ Astral-La took the lead.
Flower-of-Sands_The Extraordinary Adventures of a Female Astronaut Page 34