by James Thomas
At least the Admiral knew one person, a lieutenant on the Space station Erebus, had followed his orders. But if the information was correct, both the son and father were traitors.
“Yes, I have it—no need to relay this onto higher command. I’ll tell them myself. That’s all for now,” stated the admiral.
Commander Johnson spun around and left.
“Commander, stop. I have a message for you to return to the Lieutenant Commander . . . what is his name?”
“Hoxha,” replied Commander Johnson.
“Yes, that’s right. He’s taking the hardship duty in the Tourian Void. He wants to go places—way up, and I like that in an officer,” said the Admiral. “This goes to only him, understand? Use a secure line and make sure it does not go back to Bandor’s communication center. We should be able to go direct at this distance.”
“Yes, sir,” said Commander Johnson.
The Admiral spoke into the Brick. “Lieutenant Commander Hoxha, attack and destroy the freighter,” recorded the Admiral. “Deadly force authorized. Treat all personnel as traitors. Report mission complete only to me. The mission is classified level three, Top Secret.”
“Commander Johnson, send this out at once. Only your eyes, understand!”
“Aye, Aye, sir,” said Commander Johnson before turning.
“Wait, stop, Commander. I’ll do it myself,” said Admiral Johnson as he reached out for the brick to be handed back to him.
16
INTO THE DARK
As one of the last two thrusters failed, the capsule started to pull Robert and Joe downward. Joe’s free hand grasped at the flat outlaying rock, its rough surface painfully tearing the skin on the palm of his hand, but he gripped harder despite his growing wound. Their fate sealed as they slid over the edge of the mountain. Joe and Robert were both going down with the capsule.
“Release me!” said Robert finding courage from deep within.
“No,” replied Joe. “You don’t deserve this.”
Both of Joe’s hands and body were now over the cliff’s edge. Only his legs dragged behind him, in dreaded anticipation of being pulled over the cliff with the capsule and Robert in its final drop. However, Joe was not thinking about his own death. He focused on saving Robert’s, defying his earlier animosity towards him.
The last thruster failed, and the ship dropped, but Robert and Joe did not fall with it. At the last micro-cycle, Sadar had grabbed onto Joe’s legs, providing an anchor point. As the capsule fell, it flipped end over end until hitting the bottom of the mountain, exploding.
Smoke and debris rose above them as Robert, Joe, and Sadar lay on the cliff’s narrow edge. Sadar motioned to Joe and Robert toward what looked like a cave’s entrance. The ships’ computer had done its job so well, it had found and almost landed on the only flat surface in the area, a small ledge.
“Joe, I can’t overstate my gratitude for what you’ve done,” said Robert as he took out a handkerchief from his uniform and handed it to Joe for his hand. “Thanks!”
Joe nodded in response. He had no time to think and had followed his gut about the right course of action.
“You too, Sadar. Thanks. You both wanted my word to support your mission. Well, you have it for . . .” Robert paused, cutting off his words and then changed his direction. “and for being kids, you sure are courageously tied with crazy.”
“Yeah, Joe’s rubbing off on me,” replied Sadar.
***
The cave turned pitch black as the trio pushed inward. “I can’t see a thing,” said Robert. “Are you two sure this is a good idea?” But before Joe and Sadar could answer, Robert slipped. “I’m sliding . . . downward,” he yelled. “Ice!”
Joe tried to stop Robert’s momentum, but Robert was too heavy. Before they knew it, Joe and Robert were both sliding downward into the cave’s inner abyss.
Sadar, realizing what was happening, reached out into the black but instead grabbed at air. Joe and Robert’s voices already seemed ever distant. Sadar knelt to the ground and slid, rapidly gaining speed.
Robert had taken the lead, separating from Joe as Joe had been spun backwards by Robert’s body. Joe tried to stop himself by reaching out to his sides, only ending up going faster with his arms acting like paddles in a downward stream of ice.
The blackness smothered them as they slid further into the unknown, with speed tossing them into the air they hit each bump. Ever faster, they gained speed and were launched higher into the air on each grounding. The cave filled with grunts and groans offering Sadar, Joe, Robert quick updates of each other’s positions in the darkness as they hit and bounced off the ground and sides of the cave.
Robert’s forward motion slowed slightly when he mashed into an object.
“Thank goodness,” yelled Robert thinking it was Sadar or Joe. However, when he reached out, a furry sensation made him immediately release his hand, with a shriek. To Robert’s relief, both he and the object were launched back into the air, and when Robert landed, the bushy object was gone, although he was afraid to reach out to see for sure. A micro-cycle later, another shriek from an animal sent new shivers down his spine.
***
Below him, Joe heard the shriek from an animal very familiar to him. Locating his helmet light, he switched it on. Ice covered the ground and sides of the cave’s tunnel. The shaft was packed with snow, blown in from the cave’s entrance from surface winds pushing the snow deep within, where it had melted and then refrozen into a colossal ice slide.
Joe was still facing backward. He directed his light sideward and pivoted against the wall. Another shriek filled the air, making Joe wince. It seemed close. Joe tried to stop his forward movement, but the speed was too fast. The path widened into a slope. Joe turned his head to the right, then the left as he slid, panning the area for Sadar and Robert. He was descending what looked like an internal mountain slope.
Further below him to Joe’s right, a large bushy object came into view, then disappeared. Its size frightened Joe, but it appeared to be moving faster and away from Joe.
“Sadar,” yelled Joe while he tried to stop sliding, but to no avail. He was hoping the bushy object was a friend, but he knew better. Instinctively, Joe leaned away, trying to create distance from whatever it was and the bottom of the cave, which seemed endless at this point. Suddenly, Joe started to lose momentum, finally coming to a stop.
Joe sat up. Then he heard a thump just a few steps away.
“Oh! That hurt,” said a voice.
“Robert? Is that you,” replied Joe.
Moaning followed by, “Is that the traitor?” confirmed Robert’s identity.
“Really,” said Joe directing his helmet light in the direction of Robert’s voice.
Robert was on his back with his legs curled over his head. Joe was lucky enough to have stopped before smacking against the cavern’s wall. However, Robert’s weight kept his speed higher, making his impact certain.
Joe laughed. “Well, you look like that wall beat ya up, Robert. So, I’ll let that last comment go for now.”
Another shriek, more distant, filled the air forcing Joe to turn his light toward the sound.
“Well, thanks,” said Robert. “I’ll just figure out what end is up in the dark.”
“Hush,” said Joe. “I know that sound.”
Robert could be heard moving before he spoke again. “I think I’m right side up or at least sideways.”
“Be quiet,” said Joe again in a hushed voice. “Do you want it to find us?”
“Oh, you’re talking about that shrieking sound!” said Robert. “I hit something on the way down. Thought it was one of you guys at first. Anyway, I ended up launched into the air and away from whatever it was, but that was a little way up.”
“Robert,” said Joe loudly. “Shut up! For an adult on a planet you have never been to, you are already playing with our lives.”
The shriek seemed to reply to Joe’s loud voice.
Robert followed Joe’s
light as it illuminated the icy slope they had slid down. The bright light revealed the slope, which curved downward, expanding its width with distance. The beam moved upward past a large object before returning and stopping. A large furry beast started to turn toward the beam before Joe turned it off.
“Joe, what is that?” asked Robert.
“That’s your shriek,” replied Joe.
The animal let out another shriek, followed by the most horrible roar.
“Well, he already has your scent, so I just need to outrun you and my problem is solved,” said Joe. “It’s pretty far away and I’m sure it can’t walk on the ice well, which gives us some time, but very little.”
The animal sounds were getting louder.
“What is it?” asked Robert.
“It’s an Ice Vekoon,” replied Joe. “And he’s following your scent.”
“What about your flashlight?” said Robert. “You pretty much told it where we are.”
“Joe,” said a voice.
“Sadar?” Joe replied.
“Yes,” replied Sadar.
“Where are you?” asked Joe.
“Over here,” Sadar replied in a tired voice.
“Keep speaking so I can find you,” said Joe.
“Turn on the flashlight,” said Robert.
“No way . . . and give that creature the light he needs. They can already see pretty well in the dark.”
“Sadar, are you hurt?” asked Joe.
“Yes, but I will recover.”
Joe finally found him through the darkness. He broke out an infrared glow stick and cracked it, tying it to Sadar’s suit. He grabbed a second for himself.
“Turn on your night vision. It will pick up the light, but the Ice Vekoon can’t see in that spectrum,” said Joe.
“What about me?” asked Robert. “Do I get one?”
“It’s on your helmet, right side,” retorted Joe.
“Sadar, where ya hurt?” asked Joe.
“My ankle is killing me,” said Sadar.
“Can you walk on it?” asked Joe.
“Not without pain,” said Sadar.
Joe opened the medical kit and pulled out a cylindrical device. He injected it into Sadar’s ankle to administer the pain medicine.
“Oh!” said Sadar. “That feels wonderful.”
“How about now?” asked Joe.
“Let me stand up,” said Sadar. “Yes, that’s better, thanks.”
“How do you turn on this light,” said Robert.
“No Robert. Don’t!” said Sadar. “Joe was just kidding. Right Joe? It would lead the creature right to you.”
“And…that’s a bad thing?” said Joe.
“He’s joking again,” said Sadar. “Try the left side of the helmet.”
“Doesn’t sound like it, Joe,” replied Robert.
“Well, try not calling him a traitor anymore. That might help. You see, Joe and his family have put everything on the line for me. You just need time to get to know us.”
“Enough,” said Joe. “Go ahead and turn on the light when I say,” said Joe.
“You see . . . he’s trying to kill me,” said Robert.
“No, I’m not,” said Joe. “Tear off a piece of your outer suit and wrap it around the flashlight.”
“What flashlight?” asked Robert.
“The one on the right side detaches from the helmet,” replied Joe.
“And what will that do,” asked Robert. “Lead it to me? No way!”
A loud roar filled the air. The Ice Vekoon was closing the distance between them.
“Darn it, Robert,” said Joe. “Just do it.”
Robert tore off a loose flap on an outer pocket and wrapped it around the flashlight.
“Now wrap it under the clip on the light and rub your body scent over it,” ordered Joe.
“Really? It will have me for lunch,” replied Robert.
“Dinner, you mean. Remember, you’re larger than us little boys,” said Joe. “Just do what I’m saying. We don’t have time.”
Heavy footsteps with claws scratching the ice grew louder as the creature got closer.
Robert turned the flashlight toward the Ice Vekoon, attracting the animal’s attention.
“Now throw it far away,” said Joe.
“Where?” asked Robert.
“Up and away from us,” added Sadar.
The creature’s roar was deafening as it approached their position.
“Throw it now,” said Joe. Any sarcasm had been removed from the order.
Robert threw the flashlight up high. As it flew, the beam of light revealed the flashlight flipping end over and landing high above. The creature let out a roar as it changed direction.
Joe cracked another IR stick and attached it to Robert, then pressed the left side of Robert’s helmet.
Robert’s night vision came to life. The surrounding area lit by the IR sticks, enabled him to see Sadar and Joe.
“You two are crazy!” said Robert.
“Well, usually it’s Angel and me,” replied Joe.
“What?” replied Robert.
“Nothing, just missing my bud, who is usually here with me on my crazy adventures,” said Joe.
“Angel, you mean. Yes, on my police patrols, I’ve heard the rumors in the black markets. Seemed a little crazy to believe, but now . . . I am not sure. You could have led the creature to me,” stated Robert.
“Hush, we’re not out of the woods yet!” said Joe.
“Let’s move you two,” said Sadar. “While that creature is momentarily distracted.”
17
INTO THE DARK
“Haven’t heard a sound beside us for the last quarter cycle,” said Joe.
“I’m glad,” replied Robert. “Didn’t want to be its lunch.”
“The way it shrieked, it sounded more than just hungry,” added Sadar. “I’ve heard about the Ice Vekoon. That the Grax use it like a guard dog against my people.”
“I had a brush with one of those dogs and was lucky to escape,” said Joe, which promptly triggered a quiver of trepidation to run up his spine and into his shoulders, where it crashed. His nightmares were the place for his weakness, not in the mines on some foreign world. Joe toughened up, forcing himself to remember why he was there and being weak wasn’t one of the reasons.
Robert sighed aloud. He did not want to think about the Ice Vekoon, with its loud shrieks or the teeth that matched. Besides, thoughts of self-peril were getting the better of him as they trudged through a never-ending maze of tunnels. Some were cut into the mountain by miners, while others had been formed naturally.
In Robert’s pursuit of the boys, he regretted his rookie decision to prove himself among the other police officers. If he had only aided in the chase rather than taking the lead, the more seasoned officers would have said nothing. In the end, he might have been cajoled with a small pat on the back or a few trifling comments about being less of a rookie from the experience, but surely nothing as bad as the situation he was in.
“You know,” said Robert before pausing. “Both you kids are just plain nuts from what I have witnessed. And you Joe . . . you joke like it’s not a big deal. But for me, I can’t help thinking that we’re going to die here, and no one is going to know it. I bet you the other guys are laughing at me. I can hear it now. That rookie Robert got himself into trouble on his first chase . . . no surprise there.”
“Nuts you say,” said Joe. That was the only thing he had heard, missing that Robert hinted that he was scared. “We should have left him, Sadar, with our new pet.”
Joe loathed Robert and regretted picking him up after he had knocked himself out on their ship back on Bandor. Invisible ship or not, Robert had made a choice to chase them. However, Sadar had convinced Joe that they lacked the time to move him away from the ship’s hot exhausts and take off before the other police had caught up. The barbequed rookie would have been hard to swallow.
“Shush!” said Sadar, freezing in place.
“You hear that?” asked Sadar.
Nothing was heard at first, then a few light sounds—tap, tap, repeating.
“Yes!” said Joe. “It sounds like axe picks. Mining!”
The sounds echoing through the tunnels made it hard to pinpoint the location. The louder the pick sounds became, the more the tunnels branched off, and their circumferences shrunk.
“There,” pointed Joe though the infrared light. It’s coming from over there.”
“As long as it’s not from where that creature is, I’m fine with going,” said Robert in a relieved voice.
“Let’s keep moving toward the noise,” said Sadar.
The tunnels were turning icy and could be seen through the IR light. As they climbed to a higher elevation their feet started to slip and they had to be mindful of each step. But the ground changed from ice to a mixture of rock and dirt as the air quickly warmed, removing the hazard.
“I thought we were nearing the surface, but the ice disappeared,” said Sadar.
“The mines must be heated,” replied Joe. “Or my sense of up and down is totally messed up.”
The ground was now slanting steeply upward. The axe picks became deafening as the echoes ricocheted between the tunnel walls. The tunnels were acting like the inside of a drum beating from the inside.
Their ascent continued upward, though the pace slowed as they wrestled against their worn muscles and sore feet. Finally, the ground leveled. The thunderous picks lessened with each step they took, decreasing the clatter as the tunnels opened into large caverns. Vibrations from thousands of simultaneous hits rattled the ground. It spread into their feet, sending a buzzing sensation up their bodies. Distant but visible light appeared as they approached an intersection of tunnels. Then voices followed.
“Stop here,” said Joe. “Robert, don’t get any smart ideas about turning on us. Remember, to the Grax, you are also the enemy.”
“Thanks kids,” said Robert sarcastically. “I may want to arrest you, but I know when I’m not in the right place for it. Besides, I gave you my word that I wouldn’t try until Bandor, where my jurisdiction lies. And my word is good.”