“Why didn’t you say that before, dammit!?”
“You didn’t ask,” he said, unruffled.
That was met by a smack upside the mouth, delivered by Kyte with the handle of his gun.
Prick! He was dizzy with fury. He could list a number of things he hadn’t much liked about how they’d treated him, but he never hit them. Entryua managed to swallow his rage, and wiped the blood from his mouth.
Suddenly, the car slowed. They looked up, and saw a wall of black approaching.
“Don’t slow down, it’s just a smokescreen!” said Sleet, nudging the driver in the head.
The command car ventured into the thick black brume, and the vapor, highly viscous, moved in through the windows kept open for firing. Entryua covered his face with his hands, hoping to protect his eyes and nose.
Suddenly, that instant, a merciless KAPOW!
We get hit!? Even as Entryua struggled to make heads or tails of the situation, the car lurched left.
“A mine! It blasted the electromagnet!” With the electromagnet at the hovercar’s front left down for the count, all balance was lost. The horrid screech of metal scraping against the luminescent pavement of the road assailed their ears.
“All cars halt!” ordered Sleet.
“Don’t stop, veer away!” Entryua leaned against the driver’s seat. “We’d just be bumping right into the next ones, you dimwit!”
The driver chose Entryua to obey, and took the car into the field at the side of the road.
The patrol cars that had been following them also ran into disaster.
The one that punched the smokescreen right after the command vehicle got its anterior electromagnets destroyed, the frontal part that had been raised now swayed by wind pressure. It careened sideways and turned over, sliding across the road on its roof. The patrols cars after that one proceeded to collide into it.
To add to the list of woes, those cars that slammed on the brakes even more got hit by rear-end collisions, while others pitched forward above the cars that had stopped, and still others evaded those fates only to eat landmine blasts...
At last, the very last car in the line divined from the noise that something had happened beyond the mists, so its occupants released the wheels, rode into the fields, and thus became the sole car to avoid any damage.
“Quick, get away!” Entryua waved his hands in the air, forgetting the position he was in.
Soldiers and police officers alike came crawling out of their respective wrecks. Police cars had a reputation for sturdiness; regardless of the severity of the damage, there seemed to be next to no casualties to speak of. But they couldn’t afford to dawdle.
The hydrogen fuel of the toppled cars had caught flame, and a blast rocked both soldiers and officers. The crops were also engulfed, and the smoke of the fires mixed with the smokescreen. Entryua coughed violently.
“Accident on the road,” Undertaker solemnly informed the rest.
“Road safety. It’s important,” gloated Bill, his smile a mile wide.
“You’re too right,” said Min soberly.
“Is there jamming still?” asked Jinto.
“Don’t worry, imperial citizen . Oh wait, sorry, almost forgot, you’re a noble ,” said Bill. “The jamming continues. They can’t call for backup.”
“But something is coming.” Lafier shaded her eyes with her hand and looked into their travelling direction.
The sparkle of Guzonh lay right before them. Some object clad in flickering, twinkling lights was rising between the shining city-trees. Said object took along with it five smaller flying objects.
Then they passed overhead, soaring by without so much as sparing the gang a glance.
When the glowing crest emblazoned on the belly of the largest ship came into view, Marca’s shoulders dropped with relief. “Phew, that had me wound up. It’s just the fire department!”
“Well, that fire is pretty huge. They could probably see it from there,” said Bill.
“Hold on...” said Jinto. “That thing might be a plain old fire ship, but it’s still flying.”
“Duh. It’s faster than over ground.”
“But the enemy was riding in those cop cars just now, right?” said Jinto.
“So it’d seem, but what’re you getting at?” asked Min.
“I mean, if the enemy took to riding cop cars, what’s to stop them from taking over the fire department?”
Chapter 9: Robïach Saisera (Space-Soaring Nuisances)
Must’ve fallen for me or something, Entryua thought as he looked askance at Kyte’s emotionless mug, ‘cause I can’t seem to shake him.
When the occupying forces commandeered the airborne fire ships and the airborne ambulance ships, he thought he’d finally be free of them, but he jumped the gun. Kyte insisted on accompanying Entryua, and Sleet gave him permission disinterestedly.
The fire ships that were made to land under duress proceeded to leave the firefighters, police officers, and soldiers who couldn’t board in their wake. Consequently, the conflagration flared right back to full power. In addition to the single ambulance ship separated to act as a messenger, they established a light-wave communications system unaffected by radio wave jamming five üésdagh above the city of Guzonh, desperately scanning for a certain hovercar . A group of airborne vessels floated up from the central area of the range of city-trees below, exchanging information with the fire ships using the primitive means of blinking lights.
So over the top , Entryua scoffed. They were just wrestling with a bunch of lowlife radicals over two borderline children, and apparently willing to make use of all of the military power they had stationed in Guzonh to do it.
“Inspector,” said Kyte, “do you know why I’ve taken you here?”
“No idea,” said Entryua, his tone drenched with cold hostility.
“To give me directions.”
“You’re more than aware,” Entryua sighed, “that I’m an officer of Lune Beega. Born and raised. Guzonh geography isn’t—”
“Not Guzonh. You’re going to take me to the Abh.”
“Huh?”
A mocking, nihilistic smile. “You’re going to take us straight to the pit of hell. I’ll make the Abh watch as I kill you, then the mental slaves that obstructed her arrest, and then the boy she’s made her little pet. If the Abh’s artificial pseudo-intelligence possesses the faintest trace of emotion, I’m sure she’ll feign sorrow.”
“I’ve got next to no ties with the Abh.” The bastard bond between you and me runs much deeper, Entryua refrained from adding.
“That is why I will do you the service of simply shooting you. That being said, I rather think the people who more broadly supported the Abh shall face quite miserable deaths. Especially that boy. He’ll be screaming for a whole night, I wager. As for the Abh herself, I will of course have a more elaborate farewell in store for her.”
“And here I thought you were a tad more civilized.”
“Oh yes, military law naturally forbids executing prisoners without trial, as well as cruel executions. Yet this is a time of crisis. We haven’t even been told where the current location of Military Headquarters is. As such, we must have some room for discretion. Because here, the annoying, sanctimonious types in my country can never know what’s happened.”
Does he mean business? Or is he just trying to get me quaking in my boots as revenge? Entryua couldn’t be sure.
Then he remembered: there was no way Kyte had the authority to decide such a thing. There had to be a commissioned officer higher in rank than lieutenant in the unit stationed in Guzonh.
On the other hand, he didn’t know the particulars of foreign military power’s operations. And the fact of the matter was that madness is contagious.
A United Humankind Armored Air Mobile Personnel Transport Vessel landed right next to them.
“Over here!” Marca pulled Jinto by the hand, and they hid behind a city-tree.
The hovercar was abandoned as soon as the
y entered the city proper. Otherwise they would have gotten blown up along with it.
They’d changed out of their dirty clothes; Marca had used her wallet to purchase new garb from the close-by automated clothing store. Their compuwatches and circlets had been stowed away once again, and Lafier now had her froch hidden using a wide-brimmed hat.
“Let’s go through the underground,” proposed Min.
“Yes, let’s,” said Marca.
And so the five members of the Guzonh Cell of the Clasbule Anti-imperial Front and their two hostages descended, stepping forth into a brightly illuminated undercity center. It was about the same width as one of the aboveground shine-roads, with automated stores situated 500 dagh apart from each other. People were standing alone, and drifting away at around jogging speed.
The seven got on the automated track.
“Things’re really ramping up, huh?” said Jinto.
“You sullied their names. Stomped all over their reputations. It’s no wonder they’re going all out,” said Marca, looking back.
“Might it not be wise for you five to surrender?” suggested Lafier. “We’re the ones that they’re after. After all, I have no desire to embroil you in this.”
“It’s too late for that,” said Min coldly. “At least for me, I’m already hopelessly embroiled. They know my name. And I’ve been worried sick about my family this entire time.”
“Is that not all the more reason to surrender?”
“We can’t let the sacrifices we’ve made go in vain. We want some kind of recompense,” said Marca.
“Independence and interstellar ships are out of the question, but the House of Crybh will present you with tokens of its appreciation for your deeds thus far.”
“So that’s how the Abh repay their dues,” Undertaker scoffed. “With gobs of gold and shinies.”
“Sorry, but what we want are interstellar ships ,” said Marca.
A confounded look crossed Lafier’s face. “I’m telling you that simply will not come to pass.”
“What if they got them on loan?” piped up Jinto. “I dunno what they wanna do with interstellar ships , but they probably aren’t gonna pick a fight with the Empire , at least, not in the near future. So what’s the problem?”
“You’re right; we could perhaps do it that way,” Lafier nodded.
“If that’s our only choice... Shall we shake on it?” Marca looked at each of her comrades in turn.
“I wanted to try flying an interstellar ship myself... but oh well,” said Bill. “Guess I’ll just play a bit with the steering gear when I find the chance...”
“The ship’s destination is based on where the borrower wishes to go, right?” Min asked. Lafier gestured affirmatively. “Excellent,” he continued. “I take it detours are also allowed. I plan to shape an independent interplanetary conflict coalition.”
Daswani nodded wordlessly.
“Might as well have them throw in the gobs of gold and shinies while we’re at it,” said Undertaker.
“That should be much easier compared to the interstellar ships ,” Lafier assured him.
“Then make us that promise, Your Highness,” said Marca. “Promise us you’ll lend us one or more interstellar ships . That is, without any fees or time limit.”
“That is not the promise I can make.” She furrowed her eyebrows. “I can only promise that I will ask Her Majesty the Empress .”
“That’s fine. The Empress is sure to humor the pleading of her adorable granddaughter.”
“If I live to seek another audience with Her Majesty , I will ask her without fail.” And with that, Lafier jumped into the automated track going in the opposite direction.
“Come, Jinto!”
“Ah, right!” Jinto took her lead.
Surprisingly, Marca followed them.
“I’m going to make sure you live to seek another audience with her,” she whispered. “So I’m coming with you. We’re the ones who can send you back into space.”
“What do you mean?” asked Jinto.
“Undertaker really is an undertaker,” she answered enigmatically.
“Take a look at that signal, if you would.” Kyte pointed out the window. “That’s notification that the Transit Bureau has been seized. Soon the underground tracks will be stopped, and my army’s battle troops will flood in. The Abh has nowhere to run.”
Kyte kept Entryua abreast of all of the particulars of the progress of their manhunt, though likely only because he had nothing else to do. Every new bit of information would conclude with the words, “The Abh has nowhere to run.” .
As he listened to Kyte’s rather dead monotone, Entryua felt fear creep across like ice. He knew for sure now. He knew that when they captured the Abh, he would die. It didn’t matter whether Kyte had the authority to do so. There was no question: as soon as he heard news of the Abh’s discovery, he’d take the fire ship to the scene and gun Entryua down with total glee.
He looked down; fires were raging all over the streets. The cars had been destroyed either because they looked somewhat similar to the one hovercar, or because they’d tried to ignore the checkpoint inspection. He could even see the flashes of gunfire.
“Civilians are hereby informed...” The air-mobile tanks were blaring their heavy-handed broadcast as they made their sweeping motions. “...That they are to aid in our search. You must answer any and all questions with the whole truth. In addition, if you spot suspicious persons, notify the nearest soldier. We are looking for an Abh. Civilians are hereby informed that they are to aid in our search...”
“Now look at that, sir.” Kyte pointed to the top of a city-tree. The soldiers were sending coded signals by blinking their handheld lights. “They’re messaging that they’ve searched all of the rooms in that city-tree. They’re scouring every building with a fine-toothed comb... The Abh has nowhere to run.”
“Searching premises without warrants, huh...? That’s every officer’s dream,” said Entryua, trying his damnedest to serve up some sarcasm.
“You’re the only ones to blame. If you had paid democracy and God’s providence the respect they’re due, we would’ve been able to act more gentlemanly. We aren’t an occupying army. We’re a liberation army,” he added wistfully, as though speaking of some lost dream.
“We didn’t ask you to come. Surely you acknowledge that?”
“It’s such a shame, Inspector. I thought we’d come to understand one another.” Kyte’s eyes wandered around the scenery out the window. Then he pointed again. “Look over there...”
The city was in turmoil. The vast majority of the citizens had taken note of the Abhs’ return. They couldn’t help but doubt whether anything good would come of cooperating with the occupiers.
The larger part of the terrestrial citizens neither loved nor loathed the occupation forces, viewing them only as quirky guests that had paid Clasbule a momentary visit. Yes, the fact that important government figures had been taken away had wounded their pride. Yes, there were those who had been forced to shave their blue hair, and those whose family members had been sent to camps for “democracy reeducation.” But this series of events was taken as nothing more than a transient natural disaster, with many even enjoying it, albeit as seeds of hatred were shut away in their hearts.
Yet over the past half-hour, those seeds of hatred were budding, and growing rapidly. The army was blocking roads, barging into homes, performing violent patdowns, even opening fire upon trivial misunderstandings... There was now no shortage of reasons to hate them.
“Good citizens, the Abh is to blame for all of this momentary chaos. Search for the Abh. If you can capture the Abh, the peace will be restored.” The voice from above insisted, repeated this was the case, but the hatred of the people was firmly fixed on the green-brown army fatigues. After all, the soldiers with bloodshot eyes and guns at the ready weren’t wearing the black uniforms of the Abh.
They had neither the weapons nor the organized bodies to revolt, yet unlucky an
d inattentive soldiers were frequently getting ganged up on by mobs and their weapons stolen all throughout town. As for the citizens who lacked confidence in their muscle power, and those who were wiser and more prudent, they instead exchanged information, trying to return home through paths where they wouldn’t encounter any soldiers.
That was the course of events in which Jinto’s party was mired.
“Over there.”
Marca was one of the five among them who had a grasp of Guzonh’s geography. Their sense for the places where the enemy was likely to be was impressive. When they did encounter soldiers, they either blended in with the crowd or went down empty paths. They ran down stopped automated tracks, ascended to the surface, and wove their way through the alleys. They even crossed over the open squares by using the sky-corridors that linked adjacent city-trees. One might think they would be running at top speed, but in fact, they walked with deliberate composure.
In areas devoid of other people, they split into two groups, with each pretending not to know the other. Even when they did enter a plaza, Jinto was grouped with Marca and Daswani. Meanwhile, Lafier and the other three traversed the square one step ahead in their own group.
A coughing noise right above their heads — startled, Jinto looked up, to find two enemy soldiers wearing jetpacks. They landed right in front of Lafier.
“Take that hat off, woman!” one demanded imperiously.
Something was pressed against Jinto’s hand. Marca was handing him a paralyzer gun .
“What’re you two goin’ on abou’?” said Undertaker, playing the drunk act. “You take a shine ta my niece’s hat or somefin?”
“Well it ain’t yours ta take,” said Bill, feigning drunkenness alongside him. “I’s the one ‘at bought it for ‘er. You got a problem wizzat...”
“Aren’t you being a little too rude to them?” said Min, ‘enraged.’
Now all Lafier needed to do was look frightened, maybe even cling to Bill, and the ruse would be complete.
The Return to Strange Skies (JNC Edition) Page 13