by Saxon Andrew
Joey looked at Lukas, “If Kathy tells them about your killing all the members of that gang…”
Lukas nodded, “I know, they will come after me with everything at their disposal.”
Salud shook her head, “So what are we going to do now?”
“Lukas is going to the site of our manufacturing facility and you are going back to teaching at MIT.”
“I don’t know that I can do that. I took the leave of absence never intending to go back.”
Joey nodded, “We need to throw them off the scent. If Kathy tells them what he did, they’re going to come to you if they can’t find Lukas. Your background is not cobbled together and they’ll know you are not an alien. We need you there to keep them off Lukas as long as possible.”
“What about the money we intended to make on Lukas’ golf winnings?”
“The programs the Wrist Unit is using has already made us enough capital to start the project. It’s not worth the risk to have him continue to play golf.”
“Where is this facility Lukas is going to?”
“It’s on an island in the Caribbean. We leased it from the government of Barbados to build a car manufacturing plant. We’ve leased it for a hundred years.”
Salud looked at Lukas, “I don’t know if I like being away from you that long; I’ve become accustomed to having you around.”
Lukas smiled, “I didn’t know you cared.”
Salud shook her head, “More than you know.” She looked at Joey, “If I’m going back to teach, I have to be there tomorrow.”
“We’re landing now. I have another jet taking you back to Boston.”
Lukas looked at them, “What do you mean, more than I know?”
The plane jerked as the tires touched the pavement and Joey said, “I had your things picked up from the condo and they’re on the other jet. You need to get moving.”
Lukas said, “What did you mean?”
Salud looked at Lukas and shook her head, “I’ll tell you later. Keep me informed on what’s going on.”
“Why can’t you tell me now?”
Salud smiled, “Now is not the time.” The jet came to a stop and the door opened. She kissed Lukas on the cheek, “Be safe and be careful.”
She went down the steps to the tarmac and Lukas had his hand on his cheek where she kissed him. He looked at Joey and he said, “Sorry, we have a schedule to keep.” Lukas watched Salud run to the other jet and go up the steps. She stopped and looked back at him. She had an expression that he didn’t understand and then she turned and went into the jet. He lowered his head and hand. The door closed and both jets taxied out and lifted off the airport in Myrtle Beach. One was headed north and the other south. Lukas sat down and closed his eyes. So much had happened so quickly and he felt more alone than ever before. The jet stopped once to refuel and then headed toward his new home.
• • •
“Dr. Vazquez.”
Salud turned around and saw a young man standing at her office door. She immediately knew he was military. His stance, his close cropped hair, his eyes that appeared to take in everything around him, and his tone of voice all screamed military. “Yes?”
“Do you have a moment?”
Salud smiled, “What would happen if I said I didn’t?”
The young man actually smiled, “I’d come in anyway.”
“Then, yes. I have a moment.”
The young man walked in and Salud nodded toward the chair in front of her desk, “Take a seat, Mr….”
“Jekins.”
“Why are you here?”
“Why would you ask me like that, Professor?”
Salud shook her head, “You might be good with camouflage during combat but you didn’t wear any here. You’re obviously military so this isn’t a social visit.”
Jinks’ head went back, “Am I that obvious?”
Salud smiled, “Mr. Jekins, you’re wearing boots under those jeans and the shirt you have on doesn’t match the jeans’ color. Your top button is buttoned and you look at everything around you as if you’re expecting an enemy to jump out of hiding. I could go on but your appearance screams military. Am I wrong?”
Jinks raised his hand and scratched his neck, “No, I’m a Colonel in the Air Force.”
“Now that’s interesting. I was expecting Army or Special Forces.”
Jinks started chuckling, “Why would you think I’m Special Forces?”
“Are you?” Jinks hesitated and Salud said, “You actually are. Isn’t the Air Force exempt from having Special Forces in their ranks?”
“You are quite the observer, Doctor. My first assignment was with the Seals. I was transferred to the Air Force to learn our satellite systems.”
Salud nodded, “That means you’re fast tracked for high command.”
Jinks shook his head, “I came here to get some information and all that’s happened so far is that you’ve collected things I didn’t expect you to know.”
“From where I sit, Colonel, I see a very dangerous man and you weren’t smiling when you stuck your head in my office.” Jinks stared at Salud and knew she was too smart for him to trip her up. He was hoping he could surprise her and get her to make a mistake. That wasn’t going to happen. Salud smiled, “You don’t like your chances, do you?”
Jinks shook his head and smiled, “I guess my chances of trying to intimidate you are limited.” Salud raised her right eyebrow and nodded. “Do you know why I’m here?”
“Come on Colonel. If I did or if I didn’t, I wouldn’t tell you. Why don’t you cut to the chase and quit wasting both our time.”
“About eight weeks ago, a spaceship…or something, lifted off the planet.” Salud sat back in her chair and stared at him. Jinks watched her closely and her response to his question didn’t give him anything. “It lifted from a place not far from here and the man you’ve been caddying for lived in the building where it stayed while it was on the planet.” Salud stared at him and then started smiling. Jinks said, “What do you find so amusing?”
“Are you insinuating that Lukas is an alien?”
“Miss Vazquez, we discovered that there were four or five other ships above the planet while it was here. They disappeared after whatever it was left the planet.”
Salud was shocked by the Colonel’s comment. He saw her shock was genuine and began wondering if this was a false trail. Salud was shocked because the Stalkers were supposed to be the absolute best at remaining hidden. The Sentinels would be upset if they knew about this. Then she realized, they had to already know. “Colonel, are you saying that there is intelligent life from somewhere else here watching us?”
Jinks stared at Salud and made a decision, “Doctor, I know they’re there and if they are choosing to hide themselves, it can’t be for a good reason.”
Salud shrugged, “Perhaps they don’t want to interfere with our society.”
“Doctor, if that were the case, only the ship on the planet would have been here and it made a point of being seen as it escaped.”
“Escaped?”
“My staff analyzed the trajectory of the ship that left and it took a path that would avoid the ships above the planet. It was forced to leave at a velocity that would expose it and since it disappeared, those ships above Earth have also gone.”
“Colonel, surely you have a hypothesis on what happened.”
“I do. What do you think?”
Salud thought about it and said, “If they mean us no harm, perhaps the ship on the planet wasn’t supposed to be here and they were there to remove it.”
“To prevent interfering with our natural development.”
“Something like that. Do you see it differently?”
Jinks stared at Salud and after a moment said, “I could be imprisoned for what I’m about to tell you.”
Salud tilted her head, “Then you might think about not telling me.”
Jinks smiled. She knew som
ething. Salud saw his smile and knew she had made a mistake. “Doctor, I had Hubble turned and focus on the space out from Earth. Initially, nothing appeared. But there was something that was blurry in the distance. Hubble changed its focus and we were able to get photos of the region outside Pluto.”
“And?”
“We discovered that there are millions of the shapes that were above Earth. They aren’t alike; matter of fact, we’ve been able to classify them into more than a thousand different groups.”
“What are you saying, Colonel?”
“There are millions of starships outside our solar system holding their position even with Earth as it moves around the sun. We’re of the opinion that those ships represent more than a thousand different groups.”
Salud leaned back in her chair, “Why do you think they’re out there?”
Jinks looked at her and said, “I have another idea about the ship that was here.” Salud nodded for him to continue. “That ship was here for a different purpose than those ships outside our Solar System.”
“Why would you suppose that?”
“They were here to remove it. That meant it was operating against their purposes.” Jinks watched Salud carefully and said, “If I were forced to guess which of the two represents a danger to us, I’d have to say it’s those ships at the edge of our system.”
“Why?”
“There’s too many of them. You don’t send that many vessels unless you intend to use them. Earth is in real danger and the one that was here on the planet may be the only one that can help us face what’s coming.”
Salud shook her head at the brilliance of this officer, “I hope you’ve shared this information with your superiors.”
“I have but they are locked in on a very limited view that comes from their background.”
“What is that?”
“Anything that moves, which you can’t control, is an enemy.”
Salud stared at him and smiled, “May I assume this is being recorded.” Jinks looked at her and then nodded. “However, you won’t turn the recording over to your superiors.”
“Why not?”
“You said earlier that it could get you arrested and imprisoned.”
Jinks smiled, “You don’t miss much do you?” Salud just stared at him. Jinks stared at her and then reached in his front pocket and took out a mini-recorder. He passed it across her desk to her. She didn’t know what to do and then her cellphone rang. She looked at it and saw that no number appeared.
She picked it up and took the call, “The recorder is the only thing he’s using. Whatever you say will be between you and him.”
Salud recognized the voice of Lukas’ wrist unit and she ended the call. She took out the tape from the recorder, walked out the door to her office to the lab, and lit the tape with a Bunsen burner. Jinks followed her and raised his eyebrows, “I don’t want you to go to prison, Colonel.”
“Why not? You know that I suspect you know something about this.”
Salud walked back to her office and Jinks followed her. They sat down and Salud said, “Have you ever played Let’s Suppose?”
“I’m not sure that I have.”
“Here’s how it goes. You start it with the words, let’s suppose, and then throw out anything outrageous to see if you can get the other player to believe you.”
“This sounds like an interesting game.”
“Let’s suppose that you’re right about the ship that was on the planet. What does that lead you to believe?”
Jinks thought for a minute and looked up at Salud, “It was here to help us against whoever is out there.”
“And let’s suppose that they are still here, what would they be doing?” Jinks stared at Salud intently and she said after a long moment, “Did you hear what I asked?”
“Then they would be attempting to do something to prevent whatever those out there are planning.”
“And let’s suppose you take this being into custody…”
Jinks’ eyes narrowed and he looked up, “They would know.”
“And?”
“Whatever he is doing to assist us would be stopped.”
Salud smiled, “But that’s pretty far out, wouldn’t you say, Colonel?”
Jinks stared at her and stood up, “You had me going there for a minute, Doctor. Thank you for your time.”
“Don’t mention it.”
Jinks turned to go and then turned around, “Do you honestly think one…person could do something to stop what’s coming?”
“You’re here and in danger of being arrested.”
Jinks stared at her for a long moment and then turned and left the office. Salud’s cell phone rang, “Do you think that was a good idea?”
Salud smiled; she hadn’t heard from Lukas in a long time, “I don’t know.”
“I guess we’ll find out. Why did you do it?”
“Who is going to fly the ships we build?”
“What?”
“You’re going to build thousands of ships, who is going to pilot them?”
“I haven’t thought about that.”
“Perhaps this man might help us answer that issue.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“We’ll see, my love.” Salud ended the call and Lukas’ eyes went wide. He fell into the chair behind him with an open mouth. Did she say what he heard? He looked at his wrist unit and said, “Replay the last thing she said.” He heard. “We’ll see, my love.” He closed his eyes and felt his eyes moisten. He looked out at the ocean and stared at the seagulls diving into the surf for an hour. He no longer felt alone and with that realization, he decided that he was not going to allow the Fellowship to take Earth. He stayed on the beach until the sunset and the moon rose over the horizon. He saw the beauty of the golden highway that ran out to it on the ocean’s surface and discovered that there were so many things he never saw as a Welken Warrior. He connected to his wrist unit and remained on the beach until after midnight.
• • •
Jinks left the building and saw Stoney roll out of a parking place and stop in front of him. “Any luck?”
Jinks got in and said, “Do we have anything else from Hubble?”
Stoney stared at him and said, “It appears some of those ships are attacking each other.” Jenkins jerked his head around and Stoney said, “I have the images back at the office.”
“Take me there. Do you have an analysis of them?”
“One is being done and we should have the initial results when we arrive. By the way, you’ve been promoted; you have your first star.” Jinks shook his head. “You should be excited. You’ve been placed in overall command of this enterprise.”
“I’ll get excited after I see the analysis.” Stoney nodded and wondered what Jinks was not saying.
• • •
Salud watched the car pull away and she stepped away from the window. She pulled up her directory and pressed a name. It rang once and she heard, “Hello.”
“Joey, I think it’s time I joined Lukas.”
“Something happen?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll have a jet waiting for you at Logan.”
“I’ll be there within the hour.”
“Are you ok?”
“I guess. We need to get moving.”
“What about Trevor?”
“I think he’s clear for the moment.”
“He graduates in three weeks.”
“I think he’ll be ok for that long.”
“Good enough, I’ll talk to you later.”
Salud ended the call and left the building after she pulled the prewritten resignation out of her drawer. She dropped it in the mail slot on the first floor and went to the garage. She was going to miss her car.
• • •
The Myot Ruler watched the video showing another six hundred battleships being destroyed in the pursuit of the pod. He was past rage and he
sent a direct contact to the Welken Royal, “ARE YOU THAT ASSININE?!”
“Whatever are you talking about?”
“We’re destroying each other’s warships and do you know what that means?”
The Welken Royal stared at the Myot Ruler on his display, “It means there are fewer of your ships I’ll have to destroy later.”
“And at the rate we’re destroying each other’s warships, what are the chances that either of us will be able to fight off the other Fellowship Members who have banded together to take that oil rich planet.” The Welken stared at the monitor and leaned back in his chair. “Oh, you haven’t thought about that?”
“That pod must have information that is dangerous to you.”
“It has the location of the planets where we’re building our new battleships.” The Royal was shocked by that revelation. “I’ll give that information to you if you’ll agree to end this stupidity until that planet is taken.”
“You’re serious?”
“As a head fall. Both of us are now outnumbered by those at the planet. We have more powerful ships but you can bet that if this continues neither one of us will be able to stand up to our enemies.”
“What are you suggesting?”
“What’s the most important thing at the moment?”
“That’s easy, taking possession of that planet. Whoever takes it will become the most powerful civilization in the Fellowship.”
“So what if we both take it and share the oil.”
“Then we will both be on an equal footing.”
“Just like we’ve always been. However, if the current situation continues, both of us will not be able to stand up to those that take the planet. Tell me you see it differently.”
The Welken Royal stared at his hated enemy and knew he was right. “How can I trust you to keep your word on this?”
The Myot Ruler leaned forward and punched his panel. The Welken looked down at his panel and saw a series of numbers appear, “Those are the coordinates of my industrial planets. Why don’t we just agree to divide the Fellowship between us? There’s enough for us to be content.”
The Royal stared at the Myot and after a moment started slowly nodding. He reached forward and pressed a button, “Order all ships to stop the pursuit of the pod and go back to the oil planet. Under no circumstances will any of my ships fire on a Myot warship.” The Myot saw the Royal looking away from the monitor and then say, “If my orders are not followed, you will be executed along with every warrior that violates them. Am I clear!?”