by T. R. Harris
After taking a long, hot shower, Adam dressed in a blue, long-sleeve tunic, one that covered all his body except for his neck and head. The checkerboard welts on the right side of his face were a little softer now, yet they were still there. He thought about trying to round up some makeup to help disguise them, but thought better of it. Besides, the only place he could think of to find makeup on the base was from Sherri, and she was the primary person he was trying to hide the welts from.
Chapter 5
As the leader of the small band of Cain’s Crusaders, Adam felt it was important to keep up some form routine within the troops. So upon return from a mission, he would call a meeting of all his agents who were present on the base so that an open debriefing could be held. It was important that all agents had the same level of knowledge and background regarding the status of the various missions, tactics and strategies the Force carried out. At any time, one or more of them may be called upon to assist another agent, and since there were so few of them, all agents had to be interchangeable.
So a meeting was arranged, which also provided a good excuse for Adam to get some face-time with fellow members of his race. Even though Riyad had accompanied him to Yaki, most of the mission had involved bashing alien heads and having to put up with their filthy habits and sickening smells. To be in a room full of Humans may be just what Adam needed to get him grounded to the real world he now inhabited, rather than that long-ago fantasy world of his past life on Earth. Recurring thoughts of a life that no longer existed was not conducive to Adam’s mental well-being
Adam held his debriefs in a smallish conference room in the Operations building. Adam had intentionally kept the room small so that the meetings would feel more intimate. It also helped to distract the team from that fact that there were so few of them within a galaxy so large. Just six Humans to defend the interests of the New Expansion against the forces which sought to destroy it.
Present for the meeting would be Adam, Sherri and Riyad, plus the new members Mark Henderson and Jamal Dawson. The remaining team member, Lee Schwartz, was hoping to make it to the meeting, but he had been on the mainland meeting with the leader of the Cupin’los people, the dominate species on the planet Pyrum-3. Yet, as Adam pulled his golf cart up to the entrance to the Ops building, he saw that Lee would indeed be present for the meeting.
This was because he had just arrived at the Ops building, riding on the back of Ka’lo, the supreme leader of the Cupin’los.
Adam was furious. He stepped out of the cart with his jaw clinched tight, glaring at Lee.
“Mr. Schwartz, please get off of Master Ka’lo’s back,” he commanded, knowing that his face was turning a beat red from his anger. What could be more disrespectful to the native population of their host planet than riding the planetary leader like some god-damn horse?
“It’s okay Captain,” Lee responded, his voice cheery and unconcerned. “He likes it when I ride him.”
“He is the leader of his planet. Please show some respect.”
The large, centaur-like alien strode up to Adam with a lively gait, the large, Prime-like face smiling broadly. The Pyrumese did not follow traditional alien convention regarding the baring of teeth as a sign of physical challenge. Having never ventured far out from their home planet, Adam wondered if they even knew of the implications. Regardless, Ka’lo grinned at Adam with the most joyous look.
“It is of no concern, Master Adam. I actually enjoy the feel of another creature upon me. It makes me feel useful to members of the incredible Human race.”
“That may be so, Master Ka’lo, but we must still maintain a respect for the office you hold.”
“Have I offended you, Master Adam?” Ka’lo asked. “If I have, I apologize.”
It seemed as though Adam’s objection had caused more harm than good. “It is we who must apologize, Master Ka’lo. If it’s your wish to carry Humans on your back, then it is not my place to object. However, I hope we do not make a habit out of it, as one equal race to another.” Adam glared at Lee as the young, former Navy commander hopped off the back of the planetary leader of Pyrum-3.
“Ah, you are a true diplomat, Master Adam. I understand your point of view, but I also know we are not races of equals. However, I will honor your concerns and possibly use Master Lee only for exhilarating runs through the fields of the mainland. And I would truly enjoy the opportunity to share the experience with you someday. It would be an honor to have one such as you mount me as well.”
Adam was growing uncomfortable with the tone of the conversation. He merely nodded, and then with a jerk of his head, motioned for Lee to enter the building as quickly as possible.
On the way to the conference room, Adam said nothing, simply grunting and shaking his head. Yet as they entered the room, Lee spoke up in his defense.
“It was his idea, Captain. He had seen some pictures of horses on Earth and wanted to share the same experience of carrying a Human as they did. He was actually jealous of horses!”
Adam glared at Sherri, who was seated at the far end of the small table, a curious look on her face. “You’re in charge when I’m not here, Sherri.” Adam said to her, his jaw still firmly set. “How could you let Lee go around riding the leader of a planet like a god-damn horse?”
The look on Sherri’s face suddenly turned defensive and angry. “Like he said, Ka’lo asked for it. It would have pissed him off more if I’d said no. I’ve even done it a few times while you were gone. You know I grew up with horses in Kentucky, and this is so much better than that. These things are actually intelligent.”
“No harm, no foul, Captain,” Lee said, taking a seat next to Sherri. This was strategic, since Adam would be sitting at the opposite end of the table from her. This meeting was not getting off to a very good start….
“Damn, Captain, what happened to you?” Mark Henderson asked, attempting to lighten the mood with a change of subject.
“Gravity extraction,” Riyad answered for him. “It worked, but we’ll have to change the netting to a tarp.” He looked over at Adam and grinned widely. “We almost lost the old goat-herder.”
“If I’m a goat-herder, then you are all my goats.”
Sherri was still upset Adam had chastised her, especially in front of the others, so she refrained from any comment, even though Adam saw a complete chess set sitting on the table in front of her. What she had intended to do with it was anyone’s guess, but Adam knew it would have been at his expense. Fortunately, it didn’t look like she was going to get over her anger with him before the time for levity had passed.
Adam sat down and quickly began speaking.
“The mission to Yaki was a success, as far as the primary objectives were concerned. The drug dealer Foruka was killed and it’s known that the New Expansion was behind it. There will be someone to replace him, but whoever that ends up being will hopefully confine their activities to the Triumvirate or other non-NE planets, otherwise they could suffer the same fate. There’s plenty of room for them to operate without infringing on New Expansion territory.”
“It was foolish for him to do it in the first place,” Jamal Dawson said. As one of the two new members of the team, he was always anxious to get involved as quickly as possible. “But aren’t most of the criminals in that region becoming more aggressive?”
“Yes they are. They appear to be more organized than before, which is very strange considering that most of the governments of these new independents are in complete melt-down. Leaving the Expansion may have seemed like a good idea at the time, but now they’re realizing just how interdependent they all were. Take translation bugs for instance. Most of the outer systems are having trouble keeping their supply lines going. I’m sure they never even thought of that when those chose to break away.”
“Yes, but in most of their cases, the governments had few options,” Riyad said. “The criminal element continues to drive the economies of most of the rebels, and the crime bosses prefer an environment with less regu
lation and authority rather than more.”
“So this is just the beginning,” Lee said, quick to change the subject from his native-leader-riding escapades and get into the conversation. “With the crooks organizing more quickly and better than the governments, I don’t think they’re going to stay content to operate within their own territories for very long. Most of the independents are dirt-poor; the crooks will go to where the money is, and that’s to the nearest New Expansion world. Their governments may not overtly support them, but they’re also not going to do much to discourage their activities.”
“You’re right,” Riyad said. “The Yakilian government sided with Foruka instead of us, claiming an invasion of their sovereignty. That’s how they’re going to support the criminals without actually backing them officially.”
“Do you have anything to add, Sherri?” Adam asked, trying to smooth over the tension between them.
“Nope,” came her terse reply.
Adam took a deep breath and decided not to press her. “Okay, on to new business.” He looked down at the datapad he held and scanned through the entries. He had already looked at most of the news items contained in the readout, but then something hit him.
“Well, damn!” he said. He looked up at Riyad and then down the table to Sherri. “It seems the planet Belson is planning a vote for independence.”
Sherri leaned forward, placing her elbows on the table. “Kaylor’s homeworld, they want to leave the Expansion, too?”
“They have never liked the Juireans,” Riyad added, the omnipresent smile of his now vanished. “But still, this would be a major mistake on their part.”
“The Expansion is no longer the Juireans,” Adam said. “Kaylor and his people have to know this. What are they thinking?”
“The lure of independence is strong,” Riyad continued, “and the history of being dominated by an outside power is impossible to erase.” Riyad was of Lebanese descent, and as a young, angry Arab, had been very active in the terrorist movement in the nineties and after 9/11. He could relate to simmering feelings of resentment against any foreign entity which tried to impose their will upon others.
Kaylor Linn Todd was the first alien Adam encountered after being abducted from Earth going on fourteen years ago. He had been an independent merchant-hauler – a mule-driver they were called – who along with his partner and co-pilot Jym had rescued Adam from certain death aboard a derelict Klin starship. That fortuitous event had been the beginning of everything leading Adam to this very moment in time.
Kaylor was Belsonian and had left Adam’s company over ten years before returning to his home planet to help his people make it through the turmoil that came with the fall of the Juirean Expansion. The bear-like Jym had returned to his homeworld of Fulcum to do the same.
Adam and Riyad – but mainly Sherri – would hear from each of them now and then, calling just to give informal updates on how they both were doing. The aliens never seem that concerned about how the Humans were fairing, probably figuring that they could take care of themselves quite well.
The two aliens had always felt more comfortable around Sherri than they ever did with the two Human males. Considering all they had been through – as well as many of the despicable things the aliens had witnessed Adam and Riyad commit – who could blame them?
But now Kaylor’s world was preparing for a vote that would remove them from the protection and resources of the New Expansion. To a person, Adam’s team knew it was a bad idea.
Adam turned to Riyad. “I think we need to make a trip to Belson, to talk with Kaylor and his people. They need to get another perspective on this before they vote.”
“I agree –”
“What about me?” Sherri called out from the other end of the table. “Kaylor is more my friend than he is either of yours.”
“Of course you can come, Sherri,” Adam said, doing his best to sound sincere. “You would have the most influence on him anyway.”
“Damn straight!” she said. “The two of you would probably go in with guns a-blazing if you didn’t get your way within the first few seconds.”
Adam attempted a smile. She was probably right. There was no arguing with history.
“Then it’s settled; if nothing more pressing comes up over the next forty-eight hours the three of us will head out for Belson in the Pegasus.”
“You got anything for us to do?” Lee said, looking over at Mark and Jamal as he spoke.
“I don’t see anything here in the dailies, but I’ll check with Kroekus as soon as we adjourn. He may have something more covert he needs us to do.”
The other three men in the room stretched out wide, devious smiles. Now you’re talking, and the more covert, the better, Adam could almost hear them thinking. Yes, if only he could read minds….
Chapter 6
Sherri accompanied Adam to the secure comm-room in the Ops Building. This was the CW Center where an instantaneous-communications link would be established between Pyrum-3 and Juir, where the government of the New Expansion was located. Adam could tell she was still angry with him, if now distracted by the news of Belson.
The CW room was small and dim, dominated by a single huge monitor placed against the far wall. There was a double row of padded cinema seats placed behind the operator’s console in the event there needed to be a more general briefing with any of the other CW contact stations, including Earth.
Continuous-Wormhole communication was a relatively recent improvement over traditional intergalactic links, acquired from the elusive Klin when their former allies, the Kracori, had abandoned Juir, leaving behind a CW relay station in their haste. Human and Expansion scientists had quickly learned the secrets of CW technology, and now nearly every starship in the galaxy carried the upgraded modules.
CW links provided for a long-term wormhole to be established between stations, allowing both ends of the link to send communications back and forth simultaneously. Traditional wormhole communications called for messages to be relayed from one established station to the next and only one-way at a time. Using the older technology, communications between Earth and Juir took over four hours one way. With CW technology, once the link was established, communicating across the galaxy was like sitting across a couch from one another person and having a conversation.
Even though physical travel between points in the galaxy hadn’t changed much in four thousand years, this new form of communicating was definitely helping to make the inconceivable expanse of the galaxy feel like a much smaller place.
Kroekus’ official title was Administrator of the New Expansion, even though everyone knew he was more of a dictator than a bureaucrat. He wielded unimaginable power, if not by the force of his military, then by the traditions established over the four thousand years it had taken the Expansion to form.
Adam often feared dictators, but in the matter of Kroekus, he knew this fear was unfounded. Kroekus was from the planet Silea, located in the region of the galaxy known as The Fringe. His family had controlled the planet through economics, criminal activity and political influence for over a thousand years and for his part Kroekus had always had wealth and power. So when he assumed control of the Expansion, he didn’t do it out of a quest for such things. Instead he did it for the challenge. His challenge was to see if he could resurrect the Expansion, indeed to save it from total collapse. To this end, he would employ whatever measures he deemed necessary, even if those measures called for him to assume dictatorial powers. Adam knew that if ever the Expansion reached a point of complete stability and prosperity, Kroekus would then give up control, bored with his success and now ready for other challenges.
However, that time was nowhere in sight in the near-term – or even long-term. From no fault of his own, Kroekus was fighting a losing battle. As more and more worlds abandoned the Expansion, the strength of the tide building against the continued survival of the Expansion was undeniable. Unless something dramatic and unforeseen happened – and soon – the
Expansion was destined for eventual extinction and the galaxy for a period of inconceivable chaos and violence.
Adam and Sherri took seats at the operator’s console rather than in the gallery, as they were the only two in the room. Adam fingered the controls and soon the large monitor on the wall in front of them flickered to life.
Kroekus was aware of Adam’s return to Pyrum-3, and also of the debriefing ceremony Adam employed at the end of each mission. He was expecting the link from Adam.
The screen was soon filled – literally – with the bulky mass of Kroekus. Even though he was a Prime, meaning Humanoid in appearance (which was in reality a bastardization of the term which had originally meant Juirean-like) he would have easily weighed in at over six hundred pounds on Earth. But since Silea was a world with about two-thirds the gravity of Earth, his mass was less on his native world. Adam had also once made the mistake of thinking that Kroekus’ weight was something that was bad for the Silean. He had been subsequently informed that Silean males intentionally grew to such bulk because it also increased the size of their sex organ. Naturally, this was desirable among Silean females, and so the species had evolved with the males often growing to incredible size and bulk … just to be sexy.
“Welcome back, Mr. Cain!” Kroekus announced with his usually jovial manner. Except for the dire condition the Expansion now found itself in, Kroekus was a creature in complete control of his life. He accepted the things he could influence, and refused to dwell on those he could not. This put the supreme leader of the galaxy in an almost perpetual good mood.
“I see that your mission has been a success.”
“In the short-term, Kroekus, but it seems the crooks are becoming better organized and more ambitious.”
“Yes, you would think they are being led by a Silean, or another creature of equal skills.” Kroekus smiled as wide as he dared. He was fully aware of the recent shift in the intensity of what would be termed organized crime in the galaxy. He and Adam had spent many a CW session musing about whether this trend was truly organized or just a consequence of the decay of any centralized authority in many of the rebel sectors. It was all too early to tell for sure.