Ashes of the Realm - Juliette's Dream

by Andrew, Saxon

  Scotty looked at Julie and said, “Go explain everything to Jing and ask him to get the millwrights working on arrows.” Julie nodded and ran away. Scotty ran down the hill toward the Human community and remembered Julie’s dream. There was a possibility they were going to have a ship with a working star drive. Now her dream didn’t seem so farfetched. It troubled him, but that was something for later.

  The next day the clearing was filled with four hundred and twenty Zord. Their riders were standing in front of them with eight quivers of arrows. As they waited for Scotty and Jingo to arrive, teenage Humans and Cainth were scrambling up the Zord’s harness to attach the quivers. The quivers were not covered with Zeckas but for this campaign, it wasn’t necessary. Bleath was there at Jingo’s request, and he waited as he listened to the thoughts of the riders. He noticed Vring and Zreeg were together talking about their responsibilities and he knew they would do all they could to keep White and Red Hair out of danger. He sighed and knew that was going to be difficult, if not impossible, knowing the courage of White Hair. He knew they would do what they could.

  Scotty, Jingo, and Julie came out of Jing’s home followed by Jing and Samuel. Jingo looked over and said, “Where are Timmy and Tesa?”

  Vring looked out into the forest and said, “They’ll arrive in an hour.”

  “I need them at the ship three nights from now. Bleath, can you make that happen?”

  Bleath looked down and said, “Six flyers have been sent north to wait for them halfway to the northern lands. They’ll arrive on time.”

  Scotty looked up, “Bleath, we have struggled with how to save the prisoners. There are five thousand or so of them. Do you have enough flyers to transport them?”

  “We have double that number if needed.”

  Scotty nodded and Jingo said, “I want all the Zord to take the plan from my mind and transfer it to their riders. Bleath, you need to listen so you see where we need you.”

  After five minutes the warriors of all three species agreed that the plan was a good one. Jingo looked around, “Does anyone have a question?”

  Michael Blake said, “I want a backup in the event I miss.”

  Jingo looked at Michael and smiled, “You won’t miss, Michael.”

  Michael stared at Jingo and smiled, “No, I guess I won’t.”

  Scotty knelt, and all the communities gathered to watch them go knelt with him, “Great Creator, watch over our brave Flyers and Archers and bring success to our righteous cause. We give honor and respect to the Zeckas fighting with us. We thank you for allowing us to fight for you.”

  Scotty stood and said, “Have Jeek and Nathan left?”

  “More than six hours ago.”

  “Did they get what they needed from the learning center?”

  “They had it downloaded last night.”

  “Thank you, Samuel.” Scotty looked around and said, “Riders, you know the plan. It’s time to put it in motion.” Scotty grabbed the harness and scrambled up to Vring’s shoulders. He looked over and saw Zreeg lift Julie to his back. He thought, “Zreeg, stay close.”

  “I will, White Hair.” Vring lifted followed by the other riders.

  “Bleath, are the meals ready for our flyers?”

  “It has been delivered at the halfway point and is being protected by the six flyers waiting there.”

  Scotty looked over at Jingo flying to his left side and Jingo smiled, leaned back, and went to sleep. Scotty shook his head. I wish I could do that! He looked over at Julie and saw she had also turned around and fallen asleep. All three had been working nonstop getting ready, and he felt his fatigue. He thought about it and leaned back. Maybe I can. He thought about the stars and found sleep in fifteen minutes. The flyers moved through the sky heading north.

  Three days later, Jeek and Nathan flew in at mid-morning. The two knew the ship’s scanners were not turned on and they flew in at high altitude to avoid being seen. They circled the fields first and saw the ship’s guard sitting outside leaning back against the hull. The open door sheltered him from the sun and he was fanning himself with a handheld fan. Jeek nodded at Nathan, and they descended to the clearing behind the forest. Jeek led the way with Nathan right behind. The ship was four hundred yards ahead and as they approached, Jeek went left and Nathan right. Nathan went to the forest’s edge and notched an arrow. He was responsible for protecting Jeek if he was discovered. He kept the bowgun to his cheek and saw him come around the side of the ship. Nathan knew the only way he could see Jeek was through his mask. The holes were small ,but where the color shifting leaped across the holes allowed him to see other Zeckas. Jeek was getting close to the open door when Nathan heard the guard say, “Leaving so soon?”

  Nathan saw Jeek freeze and back up against the ship’s hull.

  “Those ancient engineers were good. I broke every bit I have. I’m going to have to go make some new ones.”

  “Sorry about that. Are you coming back today?”

  “I won’t have them ready until morning. Probably won’t finish until mid-afternoon tomorrow.” The engineer stretched his arms out and Jeek had to lean back to avoid being touched. “I don’t know how you stand it in there during the day. It’s hotter than six fires. It’s cooler in the fields.”

  The guard looked out at the workers, “Yeah, they get the wind. Without the climate handler, the metal just absorbs the heat.” The guard looked at the engineer’s toolbox and said, “Are you going to lug that thing back to the workshop?”

  The engineer sighed, “I suppose so. I have one more bolt to remove and it shouldn’t take long once I start.”

  “Are you going to use those tools before you come back?”

  “No, I guess not.”

  “Then just leave them inside.”

  The engineer thought about it and said, “That’s a good idea.” He picked up the heavy toolbox, shoved it inside the open door, and pushed it to the right. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “No, I’m off tomorrow. Hagf will be here. I’ll tell him you left your tools.”

  “Thanks. Enjoy your time off.”

  “Oh, I will.”

  The engineer walked out into the fields toward the hills on the other side without looking back.

  Jeek watched the guard closely. He stood up and walked three steps out into the field and looked up at the sky. Jeek went quickly forward, sat down on the edge of the door, then silently rolled backward into the ship. The guard walked away from Nathan and looked at the sky from the other end of the ship. Nathan noticed he had erased Jeek’s foot prints in the loose sand. Thank the Creator the guard dragged his feet. The guard returned to his chair and fought falling asleep.

  Nathan lowered his bowgun and returned to the clearing behind the forest and waited. His little brother was due soon. He was not going to allow anything to harm him. Nathan Valrico was determined that Timmy would arrive on board that ship safely.

  Timmy and Tesa arrived six hours after the Riders reached the halfway point in their journey north. Scotty greeted them and asked, “Do you have what you need?”

  “I’d feel better if we had a heavier hammer. These will have to do.”

  “Hurry up and eat and get on your way. We can’t start our operation until you are ready to move the ship, so don’t waste time.”

  “We won’t. We’ll just grab a few pods and eat on the way.”

  “Good enough. We’ll be right behind you.”

  It was getting dark and the guard at the ship was getting impatient. Hagf had better not be late again. He looked across the rapidly darkening field and saw a large shape moving his way. He raised the rifle, then saw it was Hagf, “What took you so long?”

  “One of my son’s smart mouthed me.”

  “Where did you bury him?

  “I didn’t. I threw his remains into the trees.”

  “The engineer left his toolbox just inside the door, don’t trip over it.”

  “He didn’t finish?”

  “No, broke all his b
its trying to get through the bolts.”

  “Figures. They built them tough.”

  “Didn’t they?”

  “See you day after tomorrow.”

  Hagf waved his hand, entered the ship, hit the green button, and pushed the lever on the wall upward. He sniffed and thought he smelled something when the sword took off his head. Jeek stopped the door eighteen inches short of closing and turned off the lights in the ship’s landing bay. Jeek dragged the guard’s body back into the bay and used some material he had gathered to remove most of the blood. No reason to shock the teens. They needed to be focused. He pulled his Zecka down and collapsed to the floor, “Boy, it gets hot in here!”

  Timmy and Tesa arrived in the clearing and Nathan met them. He said, “Do you have what you need?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then follow me.” The three started moving quickly through the trees. Nathan heard a noise and motioned the teens to be still. He looked ahead and saw a giant Torg. He couldn’t allow it to scream. The Magrum knew that there would be some kind of prey to cause it. He raised his bowgun, and though he didn’t have a straight on shot he hit the Torg directly in the ear, dropping it. He took two steps forward and saw six more to the right. He dropped five in less than ten seconds, and the small Torg ran away. He turned and motioned the teens forward. They arrived at the port and Nathan helped them up to the cargo hold’s edge. Jeek helped them in, closed the port the rest of the way, and turned on the lights.

  “Follow me to the bridge.” The three arrived at the bridge and Timmy said, “They’ve been attempting to remove the console. Seven of the eight bolts are out.”

  Tesa asked, “What about the eighth?”

  Timmy sighed, “They have been drilling them out and the top of the bolt is smooth. Our driver won’t work.”

  Timmy turned to Jeek and said, “We can’t remove this last bolt. We don’t have a power driver.”

  Jeek shook his head. What else can go wrong? This could stop the whole operation. Then he thought, “The engineer left his toolbox on board.”

  Timmy said ‘Take me to it!”

  Jeek ran to the landing bay and Timmy dumped the contents of the box on the floor. He grinned and lifted two tools. “A power drill and a heavy hammer; let’s go!”

  They rushed back to the bridge, and after an hour the final bolt fell out. “Help me, Jeek!”

  Jeek and Tesa rushed forward and gripped the console. Jeek said, “On three. One, two, three.”

  The teleport console broke loose and there, in new condition, was the null board. Timmy reached forward and pushed the red button on the top corner. The lights grew brighter, the air conditioning turned on, and the engine lights illuminated. Timmy looked at Jeek and said, “We’re ready to go. Tesa, get in the pilot’s chair and get ready to get us out of here!” Tesa ran and jumped into the main chair in front of the multiple displays. The small Cainth female looked tiny in the chair, but her four arms were moving over four different boards. “Anti-gravity is active, Tim. We can leave quietly as soon as you tell me.

  Jeek said, “We’re ready.”

  Jeek’s Flyer took off and Nathan joined it as they flew toward the four hundred Zord circling to the south. Vring said, “They’re ready to go.”

  “That fast?!?”

  “It seems you were right. They were one bolt away from removing the top panel. We couldn’t have cut it any closer.”

  “Tell the flyers we’re headed to the compound.”

  “They’re off and flying.”

  Scotty, Jingo, and Julie flew toward the compound. Julie saw the wired prison she had spent her life in far below and felt her hatred for the Yellow Skinned Magrums. The compound was in a cleared section of land between two hills. The workers would walk out of the field and enter the large fenced in area. Beyond one end of the compound was the entrance to the Magrum’s bunker. The other end faced into deep forest where the Torg lay in wait. There was one guard with a blaster outside the bunker in a section that was cut back under the hill. He was the problem.

  There was no way to move the prisoners without the guard burning them with his blaster. There was no way to shoot the guard from overhead. The shot had to be made from ground level. Three hundred archers dropped off their Zord at the edge of the forest bordering the hill next to the compound. They moved silently forward into the deep brush two hundred yards from the back wall of the prison. They formed a V and moved forward, killing any Torg they encountered.

  Scotty and Julie landed in the clearing between the compound and the forest. Scotty stepped into the tree line to hit any Torg that attempted to enter the clearing. He then moved down the clearing until he could see over the top of the compound. There were two guards below the top of the hill surrounding the compound that would see the guard fall. They were on the two ends of the horseshoe-shaped hill and had a clear view of the bunker’s entrance. They had to be eliminated simultaneously with the guard. Scotty powered his bowgun and decided to hit the one on the right first. He was standing and appeared to be more animated than the one on the left. Vring and Zreeg lifted and circled overhead waiting.

  Julie quietly walked toward the back wall of the compound. She saw many of the workers standing around talking. She had to find someone that wouldn’t get too excited when she spoke to them. She moved along the wall until she saw Greven. Greven was a little slow mentally and was a huge talker. He was at the back wall looking out into the distant forest. Julie walked to within six feet of him, and thought about how to communicate without scaring him. She saw Greven take a deep breath and let it out slowly.

  “You have always taken very deep breaths, Greven.”

  The Spjeck looked around and tried to see who had said that.

  “Matter of fact, I once put a pillow over your head to stop your snoring.”

  Greven said, “Juliette?”

  “It’s me, Greven.”

  “I thought you were killed!”

  “No, I was saved by friends. I need you to help me, Greven.”

  “Where are you?”

  “I’m here outside the compound. I need you to go get Champ and bring him here. Please do it as fast as possible. Just don’t make it obvious.”

  “Why, Juliette?”

  “Greven, you have always asked too many questions, and now is not the time for them. Do you understand?!?”

  Greven heard the urgency in her voice and started to ask another question but caught himself, then moved out into the compound. Juliette waited and shook her head. She should have found someone else. Greven just didn’t command attention and he might not have understood what she wanted. Then she saw Greven carrying Champ over his shoulder with him to the back wall. They stopped with Champ calling Greven some foul names. Greven looked out of the compound and said, “Here he is.”

  Julie said, “Champ!”

  Champ stopped cursing in mid-word. Then he heard, “Champ, you have to help me.”

  Champ listened, looked out of the compound seeing nothing, then looked at Greven and said, “Juliette?”

  Greven said, “I told you.”

  “Yes, Champ. I need you to help me.”

  “I thought you were dead. Where are you? I can’t see you.”

  “Champ, will you please hold your questions until later? I need you to do some things for me. It’s important you do them quickly.”

  “What do you want?”

  “I want you to get everyone in the compound to lie down on the floor. I also want you to get everyone to remain absolutely silent starting thirty minutes from now, and maintain that silence no matter what they see. Can you get that message to everyone?”

  “What’s going on, Julie?”

  “You’re going to be taken to freedom tonight, Champ, if you’ll help me.”

  Champ’s eyes grew big, he looked at Greven who had a huge smile, then turned and ran back into the compound and gathered the other leaders.

  The guard leaned back in his chair and watched the workers milling arou
nd. He often found a sense of order in their motions. The same groups always gathered. Often the different species would gather together. Tonight, they were really active with all different types of groups getting together. He started to go and see what was going on, but saw a couple of them fighting. He shook his head. Such stupid beasts; they were probably betting on the outcome. At least the noise helped keep him awake. They would settle down shortly and all he’d hear would be the roar of the Torg.

  Champ was back at the fence and said, “Why do we need to lie down?”

  “You’ll see, Champ.”

  “I’m walking back into the center of the compound, Julie. When I lie down, everyone is going to follow my lead.”