by C. G. Mosley
Drago complied, throwing the Kaloian guard inside. He immediately began coughing and panting as he pulled his helmet off. Roger pushed the button to seal him inside.
“Well that wasn’t so bad, was it?” he asked, breathing a sigh of relief.
At that moment, a thunderous blast erupted from somewhere behind him and a bolt of purple plasma whizzed by Roger’s head, ultimately contacting Drago’s left shoulder. The large Bothian was immediately swept off his feet and crashed down hard onto the metal floor. Ralu dropped to his side and tried to aid him.
Roger whirled his head around and was shocked to see Captain Malcolm Steiger standing at the entrance of the corridor, a smoking plasma pistol in his hand.
“Captain Steiger,” Roger said, surprised.
“Remove your helmet,” Malcolm spat in anger.
Roger suddenly realized he had no idea who he was. He pondered Steiger’s demand but couldn’t think of any other option. With great reluctance he removed the helmet.
Malcolm’s eyes widened as he realized who he was looking at. “Commander Stellick,” he said in amazement. “I should’ve known.”
“Yeah, we meet again,” Roger said with a mischievous smile.
Malcolm stepped forward and raised the pistol toward Roger’s head. “I should kill you right where you stand,” he muttered.
Roger noticed the metallic noise his legs made when he walked, and he seemed to have developed a limp of some sort.
“You betrayed us,” Roger said, trying his best to sound unafraid.
Malcolm nodded. “Yes, I did,” he admitted. “For the betterment of all Kaloians.”
“Why?” Roger asked. “What does that even mean?”
Malcolm took another step forward and placed the barrel of his gun against Roger’s forehead. The metal was still warm, and it burned his skin. Roger resisted the urge to pull away.
“I don’t have to explain anything to you,” Malcolm snapped. “You’re an inferior race.”
Roger chuckled. “If we’re inferior then why have you all been losing to us ever since we entered your galaxy?”
Malcolm’s jaw clenched, and Roger read his eyes. His time was up, and he allowed his instincts and training to take over. With one sweeping motion, he batted the gun away, just as Malcolm pulled the trigger. Another blast erupted and this time the bolt of plasma impacted the holding cell door to their left. It then ricocheted back and into the top of Malcolm’s foot. Roger expected him to howl in pain, but instead he smiled at him. It was a shocking thing to witness and as it took Roger off guard, Malcolm took advantage of the moment. He landed a stinging right hook that made Roger stumble. Had it not been for the nearby cell wall to catch him, he’d have fallen to the floor.
Malcolm laughed. “Like I said…inferior.”
He then raised a foot off the ground and prepared to stomp down on Roger’s head. He rolled away just in time. The sound of metal striking metal startled Roger as he soon began to realize that Malcolm’s legs were no longer his own. He glared up at his attacker, wide-eyed.
“At first, I was mortified at the loss of my legs,” Malcolm said. “But you know, I think I’m starting to like my new ones.”
Malcolm again raised his cybernetic foot off the floor and again prepared to stomp down on Roger. Roger prepared to dodge the new attack, but suddenly something else caught Malcolm’s attention.
“Captain Steiger,” a gravelly voice called out.
Malcolm immediately paused and pulled his foot back. He looked over his shoulder and noticed the monitor at the guard station was illuminated. Roger saw a man with very white skin, wearing a red robe on the screen.
“Yes, your excellency,” Malcolm said as he quickly made his way toward the monitor.
Roger was amazed at how quickly he’d seemed to forget about him. Whomever was beckoning him must’ve been someone of great power. He began to slowly reach for his hand cannon.
“Have you subdued our guests?” the man in the red robe asked.
“I have, your excellency,” Malcolm answered.
Roger continued to watch the monitor as he slowly moved the hand cannon forward.
“Are you certain of that?” the man asked.
Suddenly another man—much younger—stepped into the frame. He had an eye patch and massive scar over the top of his skull. He was also wearing a robe, but his was dark blue in color. The other man raised his hand and closed his good eye. All of a sudden, with no way to explain it, Roger was unable to move his hand any further. He seemed to be able to move all his other extremities but there seemed to be some unseen force holding his arm into place.
Malcolm turned to look back at Roger and saw the hand cannon firmly in his grip. He charged at him and furiously kicked the weapon away. Roger winced as he felt the metal foot make hard contact with his hand. Suddenly, he could move his arm again and all at once he felt a tremendous amount of pain. It was very likely that his hand was now broken.
Malcolm hurried back to the monitor. “Thank you Jado,” he said to the man in the blue robe. “And thank you Potentate Shade.”
Roger recognized the name Shade. He’d heard Malcolm refer to him soon after the Titan had followed the Pinnacle through the gate.
“Captain Steiger, I need you to ask Commander Stellick to give me the frequency so that we may contact the Earthling ship,” Potentate Shade commanded.
Malcolm returned to Roger and jerked him up from the floor, dragging him to the monitor. “The potentate needs the frequency to contact the Titan,” Malcolm growled at him. “Give him what he requests.”
Roger glared at Malcolm and then at the monitor. He was surprised that Shade knew his name and guessed Malcolm had given it to him. Roger then stared at Romulus Shade for a long moment, and then briefly at the young man next to him, the man Malcolm referred to as Jado. As he observed their surroundings, he guessed they were on the bridge of a ship. Were they on the Polaris?
“If you’re going to kill me, you may as well get it over with,” Roger said, still looking directly at Shade. “I won’t be giving you anything.”
The potentate smiled and made a strange clacking noise with his teeth. “How brave,” he said. “How stupid,” he then added. Shade then looked over to his right and motioned for someone to approach. Roger looked on in horror as a Kaloian guard escorted Captain Hightower into the frame. His hands appeared to be bound behind his back. Shade looked at the captain as if he were a piece of trash and then he reached inside his robe to retrieve what appeared to be some sort of coiled whip.
“I’m going to ask again, Commander Stellick,” Potentate Shade snarled. “Give me the frequency so that we may contact your ship.”
“Don’t give him a damn thing!” Captain Hightower shouted defiantly.
Jado immediately snatched the back of Hightower’s collar, choking him off before he could say anything further. “Don’t make me hurt you,” he said.
Roger swallowed hard and he could feel Malcolm’s eyes peering hard at him. “I told you,” Roger said. “You may as well kill me because I’m not giving you anything.”
Captain Hightower smiled, and he never noticed Romulus Shade uncoiling the whip behind him. Roger looked on as the whip illuminated into a hue of blue and appeared to have some sort of electrical current running through it. Shade then drew back and unfurled the whip so that it wrapped tightly around the captain’s neck with a loud crack. Hightower’s mouth opened in agony and the scream that he released was sickening and unlike anything Roger had ever heard before.
“Tell me!” Shade screamed like a madman.
Roger’s eyes widened as his breathing increased significantly.
“Give him what he wants!” Ralu called out from behind him.
Roger looked back and could see that Drago was conscious but writhing in pain as he clutched his injured shoulder.
“Give him what he wants, or he will kill him,” Ralu said.
Roger glanced over at Malcolm and he stared back, stone-faced. “
You better listen to him,” he said coldly.
“Okay, okay!” Roger blurted out. “I’ll give it to you, just let him go!”
Romulus Shade immediately released Hightower and the man fell to the ground, his neck still smoking, his flesh severely burned.
“I knew you’d eventually come to your senses,” Shade said, and he clacked his teeth again.
Chapter 32
“I-I’m terribly sorry about Banshee,” Colonel Madigan stammered as he entered the pilot lounge. He took a seat at the round table in the center of the room and exhaled slowly.
“We have to launch a rescue mission,” Howler said, determined. “She could’ve survived, and even if she didn’t…”
“If she didn’t, we still need to retrieve her body,” Lawyer said, finishing the statement. “She’d do it for us.”
The colonel glanced around the room, making eye contact with each man. “We’ll obviously check for a beacon,” he said. “In the meantime, as required by S.A.M.A. regulations, each of you must sit down with Dr. Holtz so she can do an evaluation.”
Cowboy rolled his eyes and shook his head. He wanted to point out the fact that the colonel stopped short of making a promise that he would indeed launch a search mission for Banshee.
“I’m fine, sir,” he said, rising from where he’d been seated on the sofa next to Lawyer.
“I’m sure you are,” Madigan replied. “But the doc still needs to look you over, so have a seat because she’s on her way. Like I said, it’s S.A.M.A. regulations. If Harry were here, he would not allow you to skirt around that. I’m not either.”
Cowboy reluctantly fell back into his seated position. Lawyer patted him on the back. “Relax, it’s just a formality,” he said.
Howler shifted uncomfortably. “I want to be involved in the mission to go find her,” he blurted out suddenly.
Colonel Madigan looked over at him, somewhat surprised. “If the time comes—”
“I want to be involved too,” Lawyer interrupted.
“Don’t think you’re gonna leave me out,” Cowboy added, looking at his fellow pilots. “And sir,” he said, turning to Madigan. “Respectfully, I don’t appreciate your use of the word if.”
The colonel smiled and looked away awkwardly. He was clearly uncomfortable and not ready to commit to sending out a party to search for Banshee. He believed she was most likely dead and risking more lives just didn’t make sense. Suddenly, the gray metal doors slid open, and he whipped his head around expecting to see Dr. Holtz, but instead, he saw Lieutenant Hayden Carter. His face was white, and he looked extremely troubled.
“Carter,” Madigan said. “What’s wrong?”
“Sir, you’re needed on the bridge immediately,” Hayden said.
“What’s the matter?” the colonel asked, rising from his chair.
Hayden looked around the room, unsure if he needed to say anymore. Lawyer noticed, and he too stood. “What is it?” he asked, his voice rising.
“Spit it out,” Madigan snapped.
Hayden shook his head. “It’s Captain Hightower,” he said. “He’s been captured and he’s on the telecommunicator right now.”
Madigan looked at him, confused, and all of them began sprinting to the bridge. “The telecommunicator?” he asked in disbelief. “Who in this galaxy knows how to contact us on that?”
“Obviously, the captain does,” Lawyer said.
Madigan shook his head. “Harry would never give up that information—never.”
“Well there isn’t another explanation,” Howler replied. “How did he look, Carter?”
Hayden had reached the elevator first and waited for all the other men to pile in. “He looks bad,” he answered somberly. “He’s injured.”
Once they’d finally reached the bridge, Madigan immediately noticed the somber expressions on all the crew. Rowena Walker had obviously been crying, her glasses were lying on the console in front of her. Jake Crosby’s eyes were wide as saucers, and his color was as ashen as Hayden’s. In the center of the room, the table for the telecommunicator was activated, and a twelve-inch hologram of Captain Hightower, Romulus Shade, and Jado Baylor stood in high definition. Romulus Shade stood to the right of the captain, pointing a plasma pistol at his head. Hightower’s neck appeared to be burned severely.
“What’s the meaning of this?” Colonel Madigan roared when he saw the troubling display.
“You must be Colonel Merrill Madigan,” the potentate said in a sickeningly polite tone. “Very pleased to make your acquaintance. I am Romulus Shade, the potentate of the Supreme Regency. I assume you recognize this fine man standing at the other end of my weapon?”
“Of course, I do,” Madigan spat with anger. “I demand that you lower that weapon at once!”
The potentate shook his head slowly and used his free hand to remove the hood over his head. The colonel noted how incredibly pale Shade’s skin was and his hair was white as snow. It was stark contrast with the red robe that he wore.
“I’m afraid I cannot comply,” Shade replied. “You see, your captain, along with three others, snuck on board my ship. Their actions on board the ship are not only illegal according to galactic law, but also highly insulting to me, the final judge of said galactic law.”
Madigan swallowed, and his Adam’s apple bobbed as he considered what his next words would be. He wondered where Roger, Amus and Drago were. He could clearly see that the captain was staring directly at him, his eyes seemingly urging him to remain strong and in control. “What do you want?” he said finally.
Romulus Shade glared at him and clacked his teeth. “What do I want?” he snarled. “I want the same thing I wanted when you first came through the gate! I want you to surrender at once, and after you’ll assist me in gaining the surrender of your entire planet. One way or the other, I will take it, but I prefer to do it as peacefully as possible.”
“Give me my men back, and I’ll consider the offer,” Madigan countered.
The potentate glared at the colonel and his mood turned much darker. “You think I’m bargaining with you?” he asked, sounding utterly amazed. “This is not a request, colonel. This is a demand. And failure to comply will result in all your deaths, starting with your captain,” he added, pushing the barrel of the plasma pistol tighter against Hightower’s head.
Madigan felt his heart rate increase and he again stared into Hightower’s eyes. The captain slowly and subtly shook his head. A clear sign that he did not want his old friend to comply with the demand.
“Can I have a moment to consider?” he asked. He didn’t have any idea what he could do at this point.
“No, you may not,” Shade answered coldly. “I will eventually find you, and I will eventually kill you all if you do not comply immediately.”
Hayden Carter leaned near Madigan. “Colonel, I think we should consider—”
“Shut up, Carter!” Madigan snapped.
“So, you’ve made your decision?” Shade asked, as he watched the exchange.
Madigan took a step closer to the hologram where he could get a better look at the captain. “Harry,” he said softly. “Harry, you’re captain…what—”
“Fight,” Captain Hightower rasped, his voice weak. “Fight and do not let them take Earth.”
Madigan swallowed hard and felt a knot tighten in his stomach. At the same moment, his jaw tightened, and he stood taller. He then turned his attention back to Romulus Shade. The potentate briefly looked surprised, but quickly regained his composure.
“Very well,” he said bitterly.
Captain Harry Hightower closed his eyes tightly, and suddenly a purple bolt of plasma burst through the side of his head when Shade pulled the trigger on the weapon. Everyone on the bridge of the Titan gasped and screamed in unison as Captain Hightower immediately collapsed, his lifeless body thudding loudly on the metal floor underneath him.
Colonel Madigan lunged toward the telecommunicator table, his mouth agape in total shock. He groaned a pitiful wa
il of agony and watched helplessly as a puddle of blood blossomed around the corpse of his dead captain.
“We will find you,” Shade hissed. “You cannot hide from us forever.”
The hologram then disappeared, and the communication was lost.
***
“No!” Roger screamed as he fell to his knees. He’d just witnessed the death of a man that he’d long looked upon as a fatherly figure. He couldn’t blink as he watched Hightower’s body drop to the floor. The potentate stood over him without a hint of remorse in his eyes. Shade made another threat and the monitor suddenly went black. Roger stayed on his knees a long moment and sobbed.
“Get up,” Malcolm said.
Roger stopped sobbing as soon as he heard the Kaloian’s voice. He’d almost forgotten Malcolm was even there. Suddenly, the sadness that had overtaken him began to be replaced with something else. He tightened his fists as he stood back up.
“Do not try and fight me again,” Malcolm said, seemingly unconcerned. He stepped around Roger and reached to open a cell door. “You’re now a prisoner here. I’m sure the potentate is on his way down as we speak.” He paused and motioned for Roger to step inside.
What Malcolm didn’t notice was that Drago had suddenly returned to his feet. Without hesitation, he reached forward and grabbed Malcolm by the back of his head. He then twisted his arm forcefully, and the Kaloian’s neck cracked loudly in protest. Roger looked on as Malcolm’s eyes widened and he screamed out in pain—and then it was over. Drago had broken his neck with little effort.
“Damn you,” Roger muttered, and he kicked Malcolm’s corpse.
“Come, we have little time,” Ralu said. “There is an escape pod on this deck and we must find it while we are still near the planet Pana.”
Roger nodded and immediately stepped beside Drago, who looked weak from blood loss. He pulled the large Bothian’s arm over his shoulder to give him support. “Come on, let me help you,” he said. “And thanks.”
“I’m fine,” Drago said, but he didn’t reject Roger’s assistance. “And you’re welcome…I’m ashamed I was unable to help sooner.”