Godeena: SF Novel

by Stjepan Cobets

  Henry sipped some coffee and asked, “Hmm. Understandable. Okay, tell me about your mentor. What did he want from you?”

  “He wanted to take me back to Harlingthon and destroy me. His evaluation was wrong. He didn’t know how mighty I had become in the three years since my escape.”

  “He underestimated you?”

  “That he did. He reckoned that his suggestive mask would prevent my powers, but he miscalculated badly. He didn’t even know that I had read the deepest thoughts of his deputy and taken the information before I killed him. I knew very well who gave the orders to kill my parents…” She stopped, closed her eyes and clenched her fists so strongly that they whitened at the knuckles. “That bastard has issued orders to kill the parents of all the children who had been taken to the Center. I enjoyed the moment when he meets the real Kir.” On her face sparked a smile of satisfaction.

  Henry knew very well what happened to him. His body was mutilated beyond recognition. Henry shivered because, in front of him, he had a cold-blooded killer. He understood why she did it, but all the time while he studied her complete dossier, something bothered him, because she had so dreaded power, so he asked, “One thing isn’t clear to me. Why did you let the police catch you?”

  Kir leaned her hands on his desk. “I’d had enough of hiding, and I expected that they would leave me alone when it was all published in the newspapers. But I was wrong; they were not going to leave me alone.”

  “So they tried to kill you while you were in prison too.”

  “Yes. I know that you had read in yours files about everything that happened in that prison. After that, I was transferred to Hades. In Hades, I took over the Edges gang, and they were no longer able to access me.”

  “Do you think they will give up trying to kill you?”

  She smiled, “Who bothers? Now I know their every move, and that’s why they aren’t able to get closer to me.”

  After a short while, Kir spoke, “The General is arriving soon.”

  Henry approached the window and looked at the sky, but couldn’t see the cruiser.

  She smiled. “You can’t see them – they haven’t entered the atmosphere yet.”

  Henry looked at her relaxed face and thought it was a good moment to ask more about the Being. “You say that the Being is awaiting us on Godeena?”

  Kir sighed and said, “Being waits for any living thing to appear on the planet.”

  “How can we destroy such powerful creature?”

  Kir looked at his grim face and replied, “There is a way, but all at the right time. When we land and get down into the crater and talk to the General’s granddaughter, we’ll know much more.”

  Henry was surprised by her response. He honestly didn’t expect to be able to get any good information on the General’s granddaughter.

  “You mean she knows something?”

  “Yes, but first we have to send her some signal to that she walks to the crater. There we can organize our subsequent actions in peace.”

  Henry looked at the sky and this time could see the grayish form of the cruiser which appeared in the clouds. “I hope you know how to bring Maria back.”

  Her dark eyes looked at him sullenly. “I’ll solve that right now.” She lowered her head, and Maria once again looked at him, smiling and watched him with her celestial blue eyes. “Is it better like this, Mr. Broncon?”

  “Yes, much better.”

  At that moment the cruiser touched down with the dull sound of its massive hydraulic stabilizers on the concrete runway. Its motors gradually died down their mighty clatter and finally stopped completely.

  Just then Henry heard his office door open, and Major Vallery appeared, adjusting her parade uniform. “I’m almost late.”

  “It’s all right. The General is still in the cruiser.”

  Vallery looked at Maria. She disliked the girl. “What’s this one doing here?”

  “It’s OK. She’s my counselor now.”

  Vallery’s eyes widened, “Sorry?”

  “I’ll explain it all later. Let’s go to meet the General.”

  Maria watched her Vallery as she knew what Vallery was thinking. “We’re good to go!” Maria raised her eyebrows and continued, “It wouldn’t be proper for the General to wait.”

  They passed by Corporal Malcolm, who was about to say something only to be interrupted by Henry. “The General was extremely satisfied with the tea you made last time. Prepare it and be ready for it when we come back.”

  His face illuminated. “All shall be ready in time, Brigadier.”

  *

  The General and his escort came towards them from the cruiser. The camp was empty although it didn’t break time. Nobody wanted to be in the way as the General’s troop would anyways want a lock-down. Some of the prisoners could be heard playing basketball in the court opposite their barracks.

  “I can see that the arrival of a General doesn’t mean anything,” Henry concluded.

  “They don’t like authority,” Maria claimed, “but anyhow you have succeeded in getting them to respect you. It wasn’t that easy.”

  Henry smiled, “I’ve had it rough.”

  “I noticed rough when you were beating up Endy and Vandor,” Vallery joined in with. “That surely was rough.”

  “I had no choice.”

  “You did it exceedingly well.”

  Maria laughed and looking at Henry said, “I agree with the Major. Besides using their gray matter, they also needed some physical recreation…” She stopped in the middle of the sentence, carefully watching the General and his escort. “The General looks tired and worried for some reason.”

  Henry stared at them, but they were still too distant to get a good look their faces. When he tried narrowing his eyes, she leaned towards him and said, “I didn’t see them. I felt it.”

  “Super, I thought I had some sight problem,” he smiled as he looked at her. “What else did you feel?”

  “I don’t want to explain any further. You’ll soon find out for yourself.”

  When they came closer, Henry ordered a corporal to prepare a ceremonial guard. At the same time, the General’s adjutant set up his commanders all around the Headquarters building. Only the General and his deputy came forward us. Henry stood in attention and commanded, “Attention! Salute!”

  The General and his deputy saluted indifferent to the ceremonial guard. As Maria had said, the General looked dreadfully tired and exhausted; it could be seen on his pale face. Judging by his appearance he had lost some weight since their last meeting and he also looked much older.

  General stretched out his hand, his voice barely audible, “I can see that you are more prepared this time, Brigadier!”

  Henry firmly shook hands with him and his deputy. “This time, I got information that you were coming.”

  The General shook hands with Vallery, and then for a moment stared confused at Maria. He was overwhelmed by her appearance because she really looked like his deceased wife, and he asked with a subtle interest, “And who is this lovely person with you?”

  “Private Maria Conchez, my counselor.”

  The General smiled and stretched out his hand to shake with her. “I am General Barnet Hensell, and this is, Deputy General Jessica Jensen.”

  Maria accepted his hand. “Glad to meet you person, General.”

  “Same her. And the pleasure is mine.”

  Still holding her hand, the General looked towards Henry. “Brigadier, I would like to continue this conversation in your office.”

  “My office is at your disposal, Sir.”

  “Well then, let’s go.” He was still looking at Maria and loosened his grip.

  “Excuse me. I’ve found your face familiar.”

  “It’s all right, General. You needn’t worry about it.”

  “Yes, yes…” He continued to be distracted still but entered the building to start a business.

  *


  When they entered in Henry’s office, the General asked him, “You are sure that your counselor is discrete about the conversations here?”

  “Don’t worry about her.”

  “That is good then.”

  He sank into Henry’s armchair and then he sighed and gave an update which Henry already knew, “Major Panton and the commandos are dead. Other than them, two more of the survivors were killed.”

  “What about your granddaughter?”

  His face became tense for a moment. “She survived. Somebody or something took their ship, killed Major Panton and the commandos, and lured away two members of the exploring expedition. I don’t know why Diana didn’t go to the transporter but that saved her life.”

  “Is it possible to get in contact with her?”

  “As far as I know it isn’t. She has barely sent us any signal about her position, and we haven’t made any contact with her since the recent massacre.”

  Henry insisted for good reason, “But still General, is there any possibility that we could send Morse signal to her from the planetary orbit?”

  The General leaned against the desk, “Yes, there is – why?”

  “I want your granddaughter to go to the large crater east of the position from where we received her last signal.”

  General wearily leaned his hand on his forehead and asked, “Why to the crater?”

  Henry cleared his throat because he knew that the General won’t like what he was about to hear, “We are going to set up our camp there.”

  General was raging, “I thought it was much closer to where she was. This is the second time you are changing the camp site without my approval, Brigadier.”

  “Unfortunately, we have to place into this position and wait until your granddaughter comes there. That is the safest option.”

  The General struck the desk, “Are you insane? That’s more than 150 miles away from her. She must be exhausted and how do you think she would be safe coming to your location. And what do you mean she should come to you? Besides, I don’t want you to just change the camp whenever it occurs to you, Brigadier!”

  “I’ve had to change my decision,” Henry responded calmly so as not pick up an argument with the General.

  “Why wasn’t I informed about it?”

  Before Henry could answer, Maria said, “I personally suggested that place, General, and Mr. Broncon proposed setting up a set of relays along the edge of the crater.”

  The General looked at her furiously. If there was anything, he didn’t like then it was a lesser ranked officer interrupting a discussion between two higher ranked officers. Besides, the General was upset and wondered who did she think she was. “You suggested and he accepted?!”

  “Yes, he did.” Maria was quick to respond. The General was really irked as she was having a conversation with the General out of turn.

  Not believing what he had heard he looked at Henry angrily, who continued to stay calm. This only irked the General further, but he was too tired to continue protesting. Still astonished he asked Maria. “And why that crater?”

  “It is the most secure place on that planet.”

  “How do you know that?” He stressed each word.

  She closed her eyes, trying to hold in Kir. “Because the Being that inhabits the planet Godeena usually avoids that place.”

  “What Being? Are you fucking making fun of me?”

  “No General, I wouldn’t dare. At that planet, there is something very mighty,” Henry got involved.

  The General pointed to Maria, who was trying to stay calm and still had her eyes closed. “And you believe it just because she said so?”

  “I do.”

  “So you’re insane. Now, I am not even sure that I should send you, least of all these kids.”

  At that moment Kir’s icy voice interrupted him, “You’re quite right, General. But this has nothing to do with sanity.”

  He became alerted when he heard the unfamiliar voices, and then he got frightened and pushed his chair away from the desk. Henry stood up, “Kir, we didn’t agree to this!”

  “What Kir. Who is Kir now?” asked the General, looking at them confused.

  “I am Kir!” Suddenly she pointed at the General’s deputy and angrily stated, “Jessica, you won’t have time to press the button. Stay down if you wish to live.”

  Turning to his deputy, the General commanded, “Jessica, it’s all right!” Then he came closer to the desk and looked at Kir. The General mustered some courage and spoke, “Continue now. I’d like to hear from you if you were the one who suggested the Crater in the first place. Why is that crater so important?”

  “There we are completely protected against the Being’s direct attack.”

  While she was speaking he listened to her, his hands crossed at his breast, and gauging her all the while. “Wouldn’t it be dangerous for my grand-daughter to go to that crater?”

  “I’m convinced that she’ll make it to the crater. The Being has been avoiding it for a long time, and we need information from your grand-daughter as to how she survived. Besides, she seems to know how to survive. So, all she has to do is use those skills to make it to the crater.”

  The General stood erect and rubbed his chin. “Hmmm. Makes sense. You say that the crater is the safest place on the entire planet?”

  “That’s right.”

  “You seem to be someone who knows what they are talking about. If you are right, then this would be the smartest evaluation of the landing area. As we speak, a majority in Supreme Headquarters want us to forget Godeena for good. But, I don’t think so, I can’t consider giving up. Broncon, how have your preparations shaped?”

  “A greater part of the equipment is done, but we have done only two weeks of training. That is hardly sufficient for even elementary education.”

  “Now you have a week more. That’s all I can do for you. By that time we’ll try to inform my granddaughter to move towards the crater. Like Kir said, if she has survived everything so far, she’ll also survive those 150 miles.” His niece was his world and he didn’t doubt for a moment that she would endure; she had his blood and the resilience. He then called his deputy. “Jessica, pass me my briefcase!”

  “Yes, sir!”

  She put his briefcase before him and withdrew two paces back. He quickly typed code, took out two writing plates and handed them to Henry. “Look at the latest data about the weather conditions on the planet and match it with the data which we have collected since the Anskers gave us control of the planet.” He pointed to Kir and Vallery to join. “You may have a look. It might be interesting.”

  While carefully looking through the pictures Henry said, “These storms are uncommon. As if they are going in a specific direction. They seem to be artificially created.”

  General leaned back in his chair and said, “I have also been given an expert view by our meteorological team. Each storm seems to have a specific direction and rarely pauses or loses steam while crossing the continent. They seem to have nothing in common with the natural storms on the planet.”

  Kir said in her rough voice, “The storms are produced by the Being who is ruling the planet and looking for your granddaughter.”

  The General got up a bit anxious and saddened by the comment, “My grand-daughter? Are you sure about that? Do you have a better explanation?”

  “There is no another explanation.”

  He went to his briefcase and took out another data plate. “I have the job for you, Brigadier.”

  “Sure, Sir. Tell me.”

  “Write these coordinates on the map.” He dictated them and waited for his reaction.

  Once he entered the data, Henry asked, “Does this give the co-ordinates of places from where your granddaughter called?”

  “Yes, quite right.”

  “Now compare it with the storms,” Kir suggested.

  When he had compared the data, Henry turned to the General. �
�I think you should see this.”

  “I see. Each of her location was hit by a strong desert storm.”

  “And that explains what I told you already,” Kir said.

  “If someone was in that place I doubt they could survive such a storm.”

  “Judging by it all, Diana foresaw an attack, and they were at a good distance when the messages were transmitted. When Laura’s team rushed to the last point from which the message was sent they engulfed in a storm, and we lost all communication with them. We assumed that the storm had damaged their communication antennas, for we could still see the transporter through our satellite. Outer cameras on the transporter recorded two of the survivors running towards it. Then disturbances appeared, and when the recording started again, they were already butchered. Afterwards, we lost all contact with them. I don’t know how Diana knew what was happening and didn’t come tot the transporter.”

  Kir looked at the map further and pointed out, “Diana knows that she is dealing with a superior Being, and she’ll do anything to survive.”

  The General asked in a serious voice, “How do you know that? Are you a clairvoyant?”

  “Well, it is something like that.”

  “Maria Conchez… Maria Conchez! I remember why your name sounded familiar. I saw it in the file. A couple of years ago you killed some men in the Hatanasad Hotel, right?”

  Not raising her eyes she responded resolutely, “They deserved it!”

  He looked at her surprised, for he rarely got such an answer. “How can we believe that you won’t kill our man as well?”

  Instead of her Henry answered his question. “I am sure that she won’t kill us. If she had wanted to we would already been dead. Besides, she is here to help us solve this problem, not to complicate it any more.”

  The General nodded and realized that he was going through a bit of paranoia which he could do without. “Excuse me. Lately, I haven’t slept enough, and I’m a little snappy.” His hand ran through his gray hair and massaged his muscular neck. He turned to Kir and said in a milder voice, “I am truly sorry. Accusing you was not the intention. As the Brigadier said, we’re here to solve this problem. Let’s figure out what to do on that damned planet. It has taken too many lives already!”