Shadow Force 1: the Garden Planet

by J. R. O'Neill

  “As you wish, just get the mission accomplished and the rewards will be high.”

  “We will do as you wish, Mohammed, and don’t worry we can take care of ourselves as well as the women in our charge. Now if you’ll excuse us we have many details to review and plans to make.”

  As we took our leave I was tormented by the thought of Sara or Izzy in the hands of slavers, so much so that I thought I might get physically sick. Little warning bells started chiming in my head. Bells I had not heard since the murder of my family, not since the resolution I had made to never allow myself the luxury of caring for another human being the way I had cared about Susan, not since I’d left Space Force to dedicate my life to hunting down and capturing the kind of people that had destroyed my life.

  Now after all this time, of living, working, and sleeping alone, along comes Sara, and the bells...

  We settled in on the bridge to review the data that Mohammed had given to us.

  “What cargo are we bringing to Tehran?” Max asked.

  “Well, let's find out.” I said as I inserted the stick into the terminal by my chair.

  Mohammed’s face filled the view screen as he said. “You will be carrying the two containers of Carliteume you so recently recovered for us. When you land on Tehran you will be contacted by a man named Harrod. He is one of our agents. He will make the arrangements for the delivery of the Carliteume, but knows nothing about your real errand. Still he may prove valuable to you.

  He went on to explain the how’s and why’s of kidnapping Anwar, and he stressed what we already knew. This job would be no walk in the park. He was protected at all times by a phalanx of bodyguards, his every move choreographed to the second. He never slept in the same location twice. Yes indeed this was going to be a challenge.

  I ordered Shadow to set course for New Tehran I didn’t order pursuit mode as I had no desire to be turned into a milkshake this trip, I was mixed up enough.

  As we sat on the acceleration chairs I couldn’t help but think about that term. No one has had to suffer the rigors of acceleration since the gravity repulse drive, and the artificial gravity generator had been invented late in the twenty first century making the initial colonization of space possible. For the first time any person or freight could safely be lifted off of a planetary surface and once in space could walk about their ships and space stations as if they were in an office building on Earth. For the next two centuries mankind had spread over Earth’s solar system, colonizing in space stations or domes on most of the solid bodies. Mars and the moons of Jupiter and Saturn were all heavily populated. In so doing the Earth was stripped of minerals, water and oxygen. Until, despite the constant warnings of environmental groups, the planet died, no longer able to support life. What population was left had to live in domes, just like all the other dead planets in the solar system.

  With the invention, and final perfection of the hyperspace drive at General Electric’s vast research and development facility on Mars. Mankind was finally freed from the bonds of the solar system. Within ten years more than a hundred planets had been discovered that were capable of supporting human life with little or no modification necessary. It only took about one hundred years for the last outpost to be closed, as mankind abandoned their ancestral home leaving behind a dead planet and a raped solar system.

  “I think I may have a plan.” Max announced.

  “Really? That’s good because I don’t.” I replied.

  “It was Mohammed who actually gave me the idea, with his little warning about the slave market. You do remember that detail don’t you?”

  Remember it! My stomach was still queasy with the thought. “Yeah.” I said, knowing I wasn’t going to like the rest of this.

  “According to the data we have, all Mohammed told the people on New Tehran was that Harrod would deliver the Carliteume, no mention of us at all. And all Harrod knows is that a couple of mercenaries would be bringing the Carliteume. Also that he was to cooperate with them no matter what they asked. Now what would be more natural for a couple of mercenaries, than trying to make some extra profit on the trip? Now who I hear you ask would a couple of mercenaries like us deal with? Why the black market to be sure.”

  I didn’t answer because of the anger building up in me... If this was going where I thought it was...

  “And what does the black market on Tehran deal with? Why their top commodity is female slaves. So now I ask you again what would be more natural that two mean and nasty mercs showing up with a couple of slaves to sell? Not just any slaves mind you, but two of the most beautiful women in the galaxy, very expensive women, very, very expensive women. Now who can afford such luxury? Why only one at the very top of the pyramid, and his name is Anwar! Well what do you think?”

  I sat stunned for a moment, as the anger built. “Max that’s the worst most degrading plan I have ever heard! If you think I’m letting Sara or Izzy for that matter take the kind of risks, or be put through the degradation that your plan would surely cause, you’re as sick as Mohammed and his bunch. Do you think these people buy sight unseen, untried! For the love of God, Max what’s the matter with you?”

  “I’m in.” Sara said, while looking frail and pale. “There are certainly details to work out, but I too have come to the same conclusion. This mission cannot fail for any reason, least of all personal suffering, the future of the entire galaxy may well depend on our success.”

  “I am also in.” Izzy added. “Although that should be obvious or I would not be here, for much the same reasons as Sara’s.”

  “Well I am not in!” I said. “This plan dies right now, that’s an order!”

  “Jon, we don’t take orders from you.” Sara replied.” We’re on this mission as partners, volunteers. We work together but no one gives orders.”

  “You’re all crazy! I’ll give you one hour to change your minds or I’m taking my ship back to Macdill and we’ll let big Ed decide. I’ll be in my cabin when you come to your senses!”

  I was standing in the shower, trying to wash away the fear that was turning my insides into an acid factory. It wasn’t fear for me, well maybe it was. But not fear of physical pain, more a fear of mental anguish. There was no way I could again live through what I did when Susan was murdered. It had taken many long and lonely years for me to love again. Something I had only known for sure when Max suggested his asinine plan. Well, actually the plan is not asinine my falling in love was asinine. The plan no doubt was probably our only chance of pulling off the job at hand. We had to get all the deactivation code bearers on Earth at the same time according to Max’s intelligence report. It was just the physical presence, not willingness that would be required to disarm the device.

  Still I couldn't balance the scale in my head. In one cup is the future of the galaxy, in the other is Sara... the woman I love. A woman who for all I know has no interest in me, yet when I look at the scale, that one woman outweighs an entire galaxy...

  “Jon!” I heard Sara yell.

  “Just a minute.” I said. Great! They must have come up with a new plan I thought as I hurriedly threw on a clean flight suit. “Hi.” I greeted her, feeling like a schoolboy on his first date.

  “Hi, yourself.” she replied, looking more beautiful than ever. “Are you okay? You look a little flushed.”

  “Yeah I’m fine; I just took a hot shower that’s all.” I lied. Inside I was anything but fine. In fact I felt like wrapping my arms around her, telling her that I loved her that I would take care of her, protect and cherish her for the rest of her life. In fact I knew I would. Would she reciprocate? I had no way of knowing. Still I sent up a silent prayer.

  “So what have you come up with?”

  “We have a solid plan, but we now need you to contribute rather than fight us at every turn so our esteemed leader, lead!”

  “Esteemed leader? I thought we were all equals in this?”

  “And equals we are, it’s just that you are the master at playing con games. That
is what has made you such a success as a bounty hunter. So now we need the details of the con.”

  “You’re not going to let me out of this, are you?”

  “Not for a minute.” Sara replied with a smile.

  “I’ll agree, as long as you agree to not do anything that could jeopardize your safety.”

  “Okay I’ll agree to that, but only I can judge what that means.”

  I knew I was defeated, so plan I would, I thought as Sara led the way to the bridge.

  On arrival my first thought was how lucky I was to be teamed up with this group. My second was how I would use them to accomplish the job assigned. All business now, I took my seat and drew a complete blank.

  Chapter Six

  “Where do we start?” I asked the group in general.

  Max started the conversation. “We start with Harrod. Shadow has dug up some interesting details on him that I am sure we can use.”

  “Such as?” I asked.

  “Such as; he is deeply connected to the black market on New Tehran. As you know, the economic sanctions imposed by the Federation are very strict and what we take for granted the people of Tehran pay enormous sums to acquire, all this smuggling and distribution is big business there. Everything from bath soaps to slaves he has his hands in. He is rich but always looking for more. This should make him very useful to us.

  “Well then on to the plan. We will use Max’s rough idea but let’s work on details. First off, Shadows interior defensive abilities are numerous and effective. And they will need to be to pull off what I have in mind.”

  “And what would that be?” Max asked

  “We set the stage as you suggested, both Sara and Izzy need to get in character as the expensive fully trained recreation specialists. They need to be set up in one of the holding cells, before we make contact with Harrod. Once we have him on board we will let him view our “slaves” and then let him do what he does best, drum up interest in our very expensive cargo. It will be up to the girls to convince him of their value.” I concluded with a giant pit in my stomach.

  “We’re ready.” Both Sara and Izzy replied.

  “Alright we will set up an auction, and once we have Anwar in the room we will stun everyone there and place Anwar into a holding cell. The rest will have their memories erased by using the teacher and we will deposit them somewhere in Khomeini City. When they wake up they will have no memory of us or the auction. They will be confused but that is not our problem.”

  “Good, then we’ll play the roles right from the start. Harrod will play an intricate part in this and as long as he does not know the truth he can't betray us. Even so I’m still uncomfortable with locking you girls in a cell.”

  “Jon, we’re not dealing with amateurs here, if anything is even the least bit suspicious they will try to kill us.” Sara replied.

  “I just don’t like the whole idea of locking you up.”

  “Locking us up is only the beginning, it will get a lot nastier before it’s over.”

  “You’re the expert. But still, remember what we agreed on.”

  “What did you agree on?” Max asked.

  “That no one would do anything dangerous without all of us discussing it first.” I replied, amending the deal I had made with Sara, now I would see if I could get away with it.

  “Fine,” Max agreed “unless discussion is impossible or would jeopardize the mission.”

  “You win.” I said. “Now we have about fifteen hours before we arrive so why don’t we get some rest and then we will work out the final details.”

  I was lying on my bed trying to process the jumble of feelings I was having when the door buzzed.

  “Come in.”

  “Can we talk?” Sara asked as she entered my room.

  “Of course, what’s up?” I asked.

  “I was too nervous to sleep.”

  “Sara, if you don’t want to go through with this, we can call it off.”

  “Jon, please stop. You know I have to go through with this, and why. I believed you would understand after hearing my story.”

  “I do, I think.” I replied.

  “I’ve spent just about every waking minute since I was rescued from captivity hunting down slavers, and terrorists. Don’t you see that for every one I take out, there are literally hundreds of families and children that are spared the nightmare that I suffered? Jon this is a major slave ring, and I have the chance to not only save this mission but to gain the information to shut it down. You have to help me.”

  “And help you I will.” I said while thinking that I was falling in love with a fanatic a fanatic just like me.

  “There is something else that I have to get out before we start this odyssey.”

  “What is it?”

  “It’s hard to put into words, but I must, or go crazy trying to suppress what I have to say.”

  “Just spit it out.”

  “Okay, here goes. Ever since I was rescued, I’ve never been even slightly attracted to a man. It goes without saying that I have been totally celibate, and then you come along. I have been trying to hate you along with all men in general. Only I don’t hate you, as a matter of fact I think I’m falling in love with you.”

  Sweeter words I couldn’t have imagined. Had she really just said that? My dreams were coming true. “I feel the same way.” I said finally then asked “why me?”

  “It started the day at the beach. I purposely stripped and teased you, just so I could prove to myself that you were a pig just like all the other men I’ve been with.”

  “Is that so?” I asked not sure where this was heading, as I had felt like a pig, staring at her that day.

  “Yes, it is so. You looked at me as though you were looking at a beautiful painting. No derogatory remarks, you treated me with respect. That has never happened to me before.”

  “Sara, everyone respects you.”

  “Now people respect me, due to the professional that I have become. And I respect others for the professionals they are. Yet I’ve never stood naked in front of a man and felt respected, never.”

  “Well, that must have been some enchanted beach.” I said.

  “Why?”

  “Because that’s where I first realized that I was falling in love with you.”

  It took her until then to realize that I had said I was falling in love with her.

  “Why didn’t you say anything?” Sara asked looking deliciously vulnerable.

  “Well, since the death of my wife I have seen dozens of women in many different situations naked. Yet I never felt anything. That is until you. That was completely different, I wanted you. More than that, I wanted all of you. Not just your body, but your mind and your heart. Still I was certain that you didn’t feel the same way. And you were right, I respected you. So not wanting to jeopardize our budding relationship I kept my feelings to myself.”

  “Do you still want all of me?” Sara asked as she unfastened her jumpsuit.

  “More than anything.” I replied and helped her.

  Chapter Seven

  Sara and I were sitting in the room that in less than two hours would become her cell.

  “Sara I don’t know if I can let you go through with this.” I stated my stomach in knots.

  “Why, Jon?”

  “I just can’t bear the thought of you doing with another man what you just did with me.”

  “Listen, I could never do what I just did with you, with another. Don’t you realize what last night meant to me? I just gave my virginity to you. Maybe not physically but mentally, yes. This was the first time I’ve ever made love in the true sense of the word with my mind, not just my body. So no matter what happens, no matter what I have to do, nothing can change what we have accomplished together. The joining of two minds two spirits into one.”

  “You make it sound so simple.” I responded.

  “It is. I will do what has to be done, so will you. Then when this is over we can finally put our pasts where they belong
, in the past. We will be able to live for the future.”

  Max and Izzy came in before I could reply, effectively ending my argument.

  “Are you alright Sara?” Izzy asked.

  “As alright as I can be given the circumstances.” She replied.

  “Listen, why don’t you guys leave Sara and me alone for a while so we can get ready?” Izzy asked.

  “What’s to get ready?” I asked.

  “Just trust me, okay?”

  Boy, I hate it when someone says that to me. It invariably means that I am not going to like the result. Still in this situation, what choice did I have? “Okay.” I said.

  Max and I went up to the bridge to prepare for landing.

  “What exactly are you planning Max?” I asked.

  “Well, once we land we will contact Harrod and have him come out to the ship where we will make our pitch to sell the girls. We will explain how we acquired them and...”

  “How did we acquire them?” I interrupted.

  “Well, we did a very dangerous job for an illegal mining station. When it was time to pay they didn’t have enough credits to cover our fee. So, when threatened with the destruction of their station, they offered us two highly trained rest and recreation girls that had just recently been delivered, not yet having been placed in circulation. So after seeing and trying the merchandise we accepted the offer knowing that we could easily sell them for double what was owed.”

  “Okay, how do we handle the Carliteume delivery?”

  “I’m assuming that Harrod will have arranged for transport of that cargo; a transport he’ll accompany to Anwar’s headquarters to ensure delivery. Then that job done, he’ll see if he can stir up some interest in a couple of beautiful and well trained slave girls. After that we will play it by ear.”

  Two hours after landing we welcomed Harrod on board. He was a nondescript Arab of medium height and build, probably about forty years old.

  “The merchandise? It is secure?” Harrod opened the conversation.

  “Of course, if you care to follow us to the cargo bay you can see for yourself.” I said.