by Gary Hoover
Silence.
It was an eerie, uncomfortable silence.
Let’s get back in the vehicle. Jeff felt like saying, but held his tongue.
Dave and Artimus scanned the woods, their weapons raised. “Okay,” Artimus said. “Keep your eyes open, and let’s do a slow, calm pull-back to Princess Trina.”
Dave grabbed Benji’s hand and pulled him toward the vehicle. Jeff could see several spots of matted blood on Benji’s fur.
Artimus stood by the tree-line until everybody else had started moving. When he started moving himself, Jeff could see that he was limping and there were at least two bloody spots on his pants.
Chapter 55:
“Let’s get away from the shore and re-group,” Artimus said as he closed the door behind him.
Dave was already firing up the engines.
“Benji’s hurt,” Jeff said as soon as he got the chance. He had to brace himself to prevent falling over as Dave pulled back on the accelerator.
Artimus nodded. He was pulling a medical kit off the wall.
“How are you?” Jeff asked, eying the blood-stains on Artimus’ pants.
“I’m okay. EVERYBODY ELSE OK?” he asked as he quickly shaved a spot on Benji’s leg with an electric razor and reached for a hypodermic.
Benji was groaning, and he lurched and growled angrily as he felt the needle.
“Can you try to let him know what I’m doing?” Artimus asked.
Jeff kneeled by Benji and put an arm gently on Benji’s elbow. “Just try to relax. It might hurt for a minute, but it will help to make you better.” Benji rumbled, and Jeff knew that he understood.
Jeff cringed when he saw what Artimus was doing. He had cut Benji’s leg and was fishing for a bullet in one of his wounds with forceps. He reached for a hand-held scanner and waved it over the wound. A glowing dot appeared on the screen which Jeff assumed was the bullet. Artimus waved it around until he had a good fix on the location and then went in again with the forceps.
This time he was successful. He extracted the bullet and dropped it. It landed with a “clunk” and then began to roll around the floor of the bouncing vehicle.
Artimus peeled open a patch and finished off the wound before looking for the next one. “Okay,” he said as he worked, “let’s think about this. I think we should head to a quiet area, launch the lift-car and head for the fleet.
“I’d say a very small party, two or three should try to swim under the shield and try to get to the shield ship, disable the shield, and/or gun, and then get back to the lift car.”
“Yeah, that sounds easy,” Baldwin said sarcastically.
Artimus shot him a look.
“I know it’s not going to be easy . . . it may not even be possible, but we have to try. I’m volunteering to be one to go on-board.”
“You’re injured!” Nahima protested. “And besides, you should stay here with Benji. I’ll go.”
Artimus opened his mouth to speak, but held himself. He didn’t like what she was saying, but he couldn’t argue.
“You can’t swim,” Baldwin said to Nahima. “I’m a ten times better swimmer than you. I’ll do it.”
Jeff’s heart was pounding. He knew he should go, but he sure as hell didn’t want to go. They already had three people ready to go . . . right? He opened his mouth to speak, but paused . . . then tried again. . . “I’ll go. . . I sort of think I should.”
Artimus nodded and took his eyes off of Benji for a moment to look at Jeff, then went back to his work.
“Oh, hell,” Dave said from the driver’s seat. “I think you’re all crazy and this is a suicide mission . . . but I can’t sit here and let the kids do everything. I’ll go.”
Artimus looked around at the four of them. “Okay, how about this. Nahima, you’re a good pilot . . . and Baldwin’s right . . . you can’t swim. Why don’t you pilot the lift-car and Baldwin, Jeff and Dave will go onboard. I’ll stay here with Benji and man the cannon. . .” He glanced up at the turret. “. . . and be prepared to call in troops if we need them.”
Everyone nodded agreement.
“We won’t be able to take guns,” Dave said from up front.
Jeff looked up and saw Dave’s grinning face peering back at them over his shoulder.
“The guns would be shorted out as soon as they hit the water. We’ll have to leave them on the lift-car. . .
“Heh, heh, heh.”
Chapter 56:
The lift car floated - silent and low - over the water.
Jeff was shivering.
It wasn’t from the cold, it was from an intense nervousness, but he figured he could blame it on the cold if anyone noticed. All this technology and they haven’t figured out how to make a submergible gun?
Nahima slowed the vehicle as they approached the clearly visible, though somewhat transparent, force-shield. She pulled to within a few feet of the shield and held the position.
Dave pulled a large pole off the floor of the lift-car and dropped it into the water. He twisted it and pushed it through the area where the force shield would be if the shield penetrated under the water. It moved easily through, and Dave’s face broke out in a big, goofy grin.
“Weee zola! Looks like we’re good. Better leave our guns here.” Dave unbuckled his gun-belt and dropped it on the floor.
Baldwin followed his lead, and Jeff was about to drop his but stopped. He pulled the gun out and placed it gently on the floor. Then he patted the baseball bat that was hanging from his belt.
“You’re gonna swim with that extra weight?” Dave asked with arched eyebrows.
Jeff considered the idea of swimming with the extra weight vs. being on a boat full of pheerions completely unarmed. He pulled the bat out bounced it in his hands, evaluating both the weight and solidness.
“Yep.”
Dave rolled his eyes in disgust, and then snatched the bat out of Jeff’s hands. “Raja my back-end,” he mumbled under his breath.
. . . Then, to Jeff’s surprise, rather than tossing it on the deck or, worse, into the ocean . . . he tucked the bat into his belt and tugged on it to make sure it was secure.
Nahima scanned the decks nervously looking for any sign of pheerions moving around.
“They’re drunk,” Jeff said.
The others looked at him.
“I can just sort of . . . sense it . . . most of the crew members are drunk.”
Everyone had gotten used to those sort of odd pronouncements and even Jeff was used to hearing things come out of his mouth that he hadn’t expected.
He still wasn’t sure how much he could trust the strange feelings, but he hoped that one was right. Maybe they’d have a chance if the crews were drunk.
“Okay,” Dave said, “we’re just going to get in the water, pop under and come right back up on the other side. Then we can all swim together to that boat . . . right over there.” He pointed.
Jeff got a sudden feeling that Dave wasn’t real confident in his own swimming skills, and it made him feel a little better to know that even Dave might actually be sort of nervous.
. . . Of course that made no logical sense, but Jeff was taking any comfort he could find.
“We should be able to climb the anchor ropes. Nahima, you get good and clear. When we’re ready, I’ll turn on the beacon.” He held up a small ball that had a radio beacon and light for sea rescues. “I’m going to just use the radio signal so the pheerions can’t aim at the light. If you get close, I may turn on the light . . . if it looks like we’re clear.
“Everybody ready?”
No, Jeff thought as he hopped into the water.
Chapter 57:
Wooo, hooo, hooo, hoooo . . .
The water was FRIGID.
As soon as Jeff hit it, he could feel the air being sucked out of his lungs.
Considering he still needed to duck under the shield, swim a couple hundred yards, climb up an anchor rope - all without being seen by any guards - then somehow find and disable a shield
and gun that were beyond the comprehension of a technologically advanced society. . . it wasn’t a good time to be out of breath. He forced his lungs to suck in air and tried to get his breathing into a comfortable range. It became easier as his body acclimated to the water.
The salt-water stung Jeff’s wounds - but they were amazingly well healed considering the short time it had been since he suffered them.
For a moment, Jeff felt hopeless desperation.
Suck it up, he told himself. Push through it. There are countless people depending on this. Your body can handle it. Only your mind is holding you back.
He took a deep breath and went under. He swam until he was sure he was well beyond the edge of the shield and then surfaced. He saw Nahima on the other side of the shield backing carefully away, but he couldn’t see either Dave or Baldwin. He got panicky for a second, but then he saw Dave’s head surface about 20 feet away, and Baldwin came up 10 feet from Dave.
Baldwin led the way and Dave and Jeff followed, using gentle, easy strokes to keep the splashing sounds to a minimum.
By the time they were halfway there, Jeff was gasping for air. His limbs were beginning to get numb and sloppy, but he pushed on.
Baldwin reached the anchor rope and held on until the others arrived. Dave made it shortly after him, but it was getting harder and harder for Jeff. He was going much slower than when he had started.
Dave gestured and held out an arm, but Jeff was still far out of reach. After another 15 seconds he was there, but with very little energy left.
“Baldwin, you go ahead and start up, then Jeff, then I’ll bring up the rear,” Dave whispered. “Be careful and be QUIET when you get to the deck. If any guards are nearby, give us this signal:” Dave made a ‘stop’ motion. “If it’s clear, give us this:” Dave made a ‘forward’ motion.
Baldwin started up and then Jeff latched on. His arms and legs felt like rubber, and he feared he simply wouldn’t be able to make it.
. . . But he pushed on and, bit by bit, edged his way up the rope.
Baldwin was at the top and not moving. Jeff was forced to just hang on below him, but was afraid he might not be able to hold on much longer. He nearly shouted at Baldwin to just go already, but he resisted the urge, took a deep breath, re-adjusted his grip and focused on just hanging on. He tried not to think about the burning pain in his arms and hands.
After what seemed like an eternity, Baldwin made the ‘forward’ gesture and slipped over the edge of the deck.
Jeff and Dave lifted themselves over the edge and dropped silently.
The three of them crouched for a moment, taking their bearings. Dave handed Jeff his bat and then his head snapped around as he heard a noise.
A pheerion was approaching from the right side.
Dave grabbed Jeff’s arm and pushed Baldwin from behind to nudge them gently, but purposefully, to an area behind some barrels. They tucked in behind the barrels and held their breath as the footfalls approached. The pheerion paused and looked over the stern of the boat.
He suspects something! Jeff thought as he gripped the handle of his bat.
But then he realized the pheerion was just taking in the view.
A loud, hissing voice from Jeff’s right nearly made him gasp.
He understood what the voice was saying. ‘Did you have enough to drink?’ the new arrival said to the first as he slapped him on the shoulder.
‘Idiot, I’m on guard duty,’ the other hissed in response.
‘You call me an idiot? What are you guarding? Nothing can get through the shield.’
The guard hissed back, but this time, Jeff didn’t hear any words in his head but just sensed anger.
The other pheerion took the hint and left the other alone again. Jeff was pretty sure he was staggering . . . though he wasn’t quite sure how they normally walked.
The other pheerion stood at the stern for another minute or two and then moved on.
“Okay, now what?” Dave asked.
Jeff had absolutely no idea.
Chapter 58:
Jeff cautiously emerged from behind the barrel to get a feel for what they were dealing with. The decks seem deserted . . . good. Now where is the shield generator and gun?
Jeff looked for any tell-tale signs but nothing seemed obvious. The boat was similar to wooden boats of the 18th and 19th centuries. There was a small “tower” in the center - 3 levels high.
If I had a big gun, Jeff thought, I’d have it up as high as possible.
He leaned out to try to get a better look. Is that it? He hoped that he would get one of his feelings - something that would give him more confidence than just wandering blindly . . . and taking the very real risk that they’d be discovered. Every step we take . . . every second we spend on here increases our chances of being found.
Jeff closed his eyes and concentrated, hoping for some divine inspiration.
Nothing.
“Damn!” he said out loud but in a whisper.
“What’s wrong!” Dave and Baldwin both said simultaneously and clearly alarmed.
Jeff looked at them. “Oh . . . nothing . . . nothing.”
There was no reason to have them all know how uncertain he was, he decided.
Jeff pointed to the top floor of the raised section. “I think it’s up there.”
“Let’s trundle.” Dave pulled a large knife from a sheath. “Why don’t you let me lead?”
Jeff wasn’t about to argue.
Chapter 59:
The three of them had their backs pasted to the wall, as they edged their way around the center structure. The stairs to each level were located at one corner. There was a narrow cat-walk and no way to go from the top of the first set of stairs to the bottom of the second set without going completely around the tower at the second level.
Pretty dumb design, Jeff thought to himself.
They were within about 10 feet of the stairs when a door opened and a pheerion emerged.
Before Jeff, Baldwin or the pheerion knew what was happening, Dave had grabbed him from behind and cut his throat.
Dave and Baldwin both froze and watched Dave with looks of shocked horror.
Dave looked around considering what he should do with the body, and - realizing that a body lying around the deck would be a sure sign to anyone else who happened by that something was wrong - he dragged it to the edge and heaved it over. He returned, looked at the blood, but there wasn’t much he could do about it.
“Ready?” Dave ignored their shock and didn’t wait for an answer, but rather charged ahead and quickly got up the first flight of steps.
I guess it was a rhetorical question, Jeff thought to himself. He moved briskly but quietly to catch up with Dave and Baldwin who had managed to stay closer to Dave.
They climbed the first set of steps quickly but then slowed as they came to the middle landing. They began creeping around the structure, alert for any noises or movements. There didn’t seem to be any lights on that second level, but Jeff could see a light on the third level above them.
Jeff looked up. He sensed there was at least one, maybe more, pheerions close by, and he sensed at least one mind that was much sharper and more alert than the ones they had encountered so far.
Dave led, Baldwin was behind him, and Jeff brought up the rear. There was an open door about 10 feet from the top of the steps, and there was light coming from it, but Jeff couldn’t hear any sounds. Dave climbed the steps – much more slowly and methodically than he had climbed the first set.
He made it to the landing and began edging his way along the wall. As he got close to the door, he tried to get a look without actually being exposed himself. Then . . . without a word and leaving Jeff and Baldwin wondering what he was doing . . . he charged into the room. Baldwin ran after him, and Jeff tried to catch up but tripped and fell on the last step.
Jeff saw a flash of light, then, made it to his feet and ran to the doorway just in time to see another flash and an energy blast hitting Bald
win square in the chest.
Baldwin went limp and fell.
Jeff could see Dave . . . unconscious? . . . dead? . . . slumped on the floor five feet from Baldwin.
Jeff looked up to see the source of the blasts and . . .
He was face to face with the pheerion of his nightmares . . . General Rasp.
. . . But he was different.
His eyes were different. Not as cold. Not as evil.
Scared?
Could that be?
As Jeff looked into those red eyes that had given him so many sleepless nights, he had the strongest feeling that the . . . creature . . . was frightened . . . of him . . . for some reason.
The two of them looked at each other, and, to Jeff’s displeasure, he felt the creature’s fear begin to fade.
Is it my fear I’m sensing? Jeff wondered. . . . or . . . maybe . . . he was afraid of Dave but realized Dave wasn’t a threat anymore.
Jeff slowly reached for his bat and eased it out of his belt. He felt the fear swelling again.
The creature spoke in the wheezing croaking voice that Jeff had come to know so well: ‘What are you doing here?’
Jeff had a very strange, very strong feeling that the creature . . . recognized him.
Is it possible he’s been dreaming about me, also, Jeff wondered.
“I’m here to stop you.”
Jeff felt the fear surge again . . . fear mixed with . . . surprise?
. . . Yes, surprise because he could understand Jeff.
‘You can’t stop me boy . . .’
It was right out of Jeff’s dream, though not quite as intense. General Rasp wasn’t nearly as sure of himself as he had seemed in the dream.
‘Not while I have the power of the artifact.’
General Rasp raised his hand.
He has it!
He has my father’s locket!
That’s how he recognized me. He recognized me from the photo.
Once again, they faced each other silently.