It stopped us from falling and had seemingly plucked us right out of the air – swallowing up theUmbra like a big fish on a small fish. It was as if Xavix had hit the brakes and brought us to a skidding halt in the ship's hangar. I looked around with eyes that were wide with wonder – mostly wonder that we hadn't died a horrible, fiery death. My eyes slid over to Theron who was still pale, shaking, and looked like he still might die from the shock and terror of the whole ordeal.
“Where are we?” I asked, my voice low.
“Welcome toThe Colossus,” Boygan said over the speakers. “One of my ships, of course. They happened to be in the area, so I sent them over to help. Wouldn't want you get out of this that easily, Gemma.”
“But how did they – ”
“Our technology is very advanced. Far more so than your human built technology. Ships like theColossus were originally designed to save crashing ships – and we usually only rescue ships that have something of value for us. Which means, given the fact that we chose to save you should make you feel – flattered.”
“Originally,” Xavix piped up. “You said ships like theColossuswereoriginally designed to save crashing ships. What are they used for now?”
“Causing ships to crash,” Boygan said.
He sounded very pleased with himself. Every bit as smug and arrogant as I remembered him to be. It made the blood boil in my veins. Oh, how I hated that man.
“Don't I get a thank you?” he asked.
Thank him? We were prisoners now. Prisoners aboard one of his ships. Which was far from an ideal situation – but at least we weren't dead. That was something, I supposed. Given that we were still breathing, there was always a chance at escape.
“Yeah, sure. Thanks,” I said.
“Oh, you're more than welcome, dear,” he said, his tone snide. “We'll talk soon, Gemma – once my men have your ship up and running again, that is.”
As the communications console clicked off, the ship's door opened up. Everything inside shut down, causing our surroundings to fall silent. It was so quiet that it was eerie and sent a shiver along my skin. But, we were free to walk from the ship – though, doing so meant walking into unknown and very likely, hostile territory. I reached for my gun, but before I could pull it from my holster, a Zhakan like Boygan stepped aboard. He was tall and wore a dark colored uniform – and looked every bit as slimy and creepy as Boygan.
“Leave all weapons,” he said. “They will be confiscated. Come with me.”
Dammit.
We lined up and followed the man off the ship. From there, they led us off of theColossus and onto the surface of a strange planet. I looked at Xavix and gave him a shrug.
“Where are we?” I whispered to him.
“We're on Javis,” he said. “A planet friendly enough toward earthlings.”
“You're free to explore a bit. Stretch your legs. Maybe, grab a bite to eat,” the man said, “But you must be back within four hours and not a minute later. By then, we will have your ship repaired and you can be on your way. And I don't need to remind you that if you're not back at that time, you know what will happen to your family.”
No need to keep us as prisoners, at least not officially. They knew they had me. I nodded my head as the man grabbed my wrist and placed a tracker on it anyway. Apparently, they felt the need to double down on the security. As if the threat to my family wasn't enough. He did the same to Xavix and Theron as well.
“In case you get any ideas,” he said. “We will be able to see and hear anything you do, so don't try to betray us. And do not try to remove the wrist band. We have eyes and ears all over this planet. You would do well to remember that, Gemma.”
“Alright. Fine,” I muttered, still feeling utterly defeated. “No need to be a dick about it.”
We stepped out of the spaceport, free to walk around, and I stood rooted to my spot for a moment, taking in my surroundings. Javis looked a lot like Earth, and it wasn't hard to see the influences my home planet had upon it. From skyscrapers rising high above us to the restaurants and diners that would fit right in to old town Seattle.
This city we were walking around looked like anywhere else back home – the only difference being the large number of non-humans mingling about. In fact, looking around, I realized that I was one of few humans in the entire city from the looks of it.
“It feels so weird,” I said. “This is the first planet that looks a lot like Earth, and yet it's still so – different.”
Theron nodded as he took in our surrounding with eyes that looked as wide as mine felt. “I was wondering about that. It almost feels like we didn't even leave home – except for the fact that nobody looks like us. I guess I always imagined that other planets would look completely different.”
Xavix stepped in with the facts, of course. “Javis was one of the first planets humans occupied and they've always had a good relationship with the Javins,” he said. “And the Javins have picked up on human culture at a rapid pace – as you can see.”
“Then why aren't there more humans around?” I asked.
“Good question,” Xavix answered. “That is strange, indeed, since Javis is one of the top tourist destinations for Earthlings given how friendly it is.”
For a planet that was a top tourist destination for humans, I would have figured there'd be more people like me and Theron milling about. But there weren't. Everyone we passed on the street seemed friendly enough toward us though, and it didn't feel like a hostile place – but something still felt very, very wrong. I couldn't explain it – it was just a feeling. But it was a deep, abiding feeling that wouldn't relent.
“Let's grab something to eat and just head back to the ship,” I said.
Xavix agreed, and we stopped at the first place that looked geared toward humans. I wasn't in the mood to try and decipher a menu with local cuisine, afraid I might end up eating something I'd regret. All I wanted was something quick and easy that would fill the void.
I didn't know why, but I didn't want to linger on Javis any longer than absolutely necessary. It was just that feeling of unease that continued to plague me – that eerie feeling I couldn't put my finger on.
“They have tacos?” Theron said, staring at the menu. “We travel by spaceship to a distant planet and they have tacos?”
“Who doesn't love tacos?” I asked, shrugging as I ordered. “At least you know what you're eating. You don't want to know some of the stuff I've eaten on foreign planets because I had no idea what I was ordering. There's some weird shit out there.”
“I don't doubt it,” he said. Still, he sounded slightly disappointed by the offerings. “Do you mind if I step next door? Seemed to have more unique options. Since it's my first time away from Earth and all – ”
“I don't care,” I said. “Just come right back and don't get in trouble, okay?”
“I won't,” he said.
He left Xavix and I in the little restaurant, and I ordered tacos. My mouth watered and my stomach growled when I realized how long it had been since I'd had tacos. Very few planets accepted Earth's way of eating, and I really had high hopes for my meal.
Sadly, when the plate came out and I took a big bite, it was nothing like I remembered it to be. I couldn't help but feel disappointed. I chewed and felt my desire to keep eating melting away. Xavix watched me as I tried to eat them, cocking his head as if he were curious. I had to hand it to him - he was doing his very best to be as human as possible.
“No appetite after all?” he asked me.
“Yeah, I guess,” I said. “But they also taste – off.”
“It's probably because of the fake meat,” he said.
“Fake meat?” I asked. “This isn't real beef?”
“Do you see cows around here?” Xavix asked.
Good point.
I sighed and finished what I could manage to choke down, then threw the rest away, disappointed. But as I stood next to the trash receptacle by the door, I saw Theron outside talking to some gua
rds. They were Zhakan – like Boygan – and he seemed to be having an animated conversation with them. Not that I trusted him to begin with, but ever since we discovered he wasn't who he said he was, I trusted him even less.
And now, given the friendly little chat I saw him having with the Zhakans, I had even more reason to suspect he was playing us and that something was up.
“Let's go,” I said, pushing the door open and rushing outside.
As I stepped from the door, from the corner of my eye, I saw somebody moving quickly toward me. I turned when the man – a human – grabbed my arm roughly, making me turn my attention completely to him.
“Please, miss, I need to get home,” he begged me. “Will you give me passage on your ship?”
“No,” I said, yanking my arm away. “We aren't going to Earth.”
“I don't mind going elsewhere,” he said, desperation in his eyes. “Anywhere will do, so long as it's not here..”
A hitchhiker. Great.
“No, I don't have the room. Sorry,” I said.
Wanting to put some distance between me and the man, I walked away quickly and focused on my real target – Theron and the guards. I could see that the guards were watching me as I approached, but Theron hadn't seen me. Not yet, at least.
“Please, miss, you're the first human I've seen in days, and I really need to get out of here,” the man said, grabbing my arm again.
This time as I stopped and turned toward him, I noticed the look of absolute fear in his eyes. For some reason, it set off the warning bells in my head – and they were ringing loudly.
“What's going on here? Where are all the people? The humans?” I asked him.
Before he could answer, there was a commotion off to the side. It drew my attention and I looked away from the man as the guards moved toward us. They pushed me out of the way, coming close to knocking me over as they surrounded the other man. I managed to keep my balance – just barely – and reached for a weapon I didn't have on me, cursing myself for forgetting that I was unarmed.
In the amount of time it took me to look down at my empty holster and back up again, the Zhakans had done something to the man, rendering him unconscious or dead. They dragged his limp, seemingly lifeless body away, carrying him through the streets, without a word. As I watched the grim little procession, I noticed that others were trying not to watch. They kept their eyes straight ahead, studiously avoiding looking at the man's limp body. It was as if they were pretending everything was normal – but you could see that they were also terrified. You could see it in their eyes. In the rigid set of their faces and bodies.
“What's going on?” I asked Xavix.
“For the first time in a long time, I don't have the answer,” he said. “I'm as clueless as you normally are.”
“Gee, thanks, pal,” I said. “There's nothing in the news? Nothing at all?”
“Not a word about it,” he said quietly. “And I think it's best if we not speak on it further either. Not in public, at any rate.”
I nodded, then turned toward Theron who was standing nearby, his mouth hanging open but no sound coming from it. And I remembered how he'd been speaking to the guards right before everything had gone down. I thought about all of my suspicions about him playing us – and as he continued to stand there slack-jawed, like he had no idea where he was, let alone what had just happened, I moved over to him quickly.
He didn't even seem to notice me coming and I was on top of him before he knew what was happening. I might not have a weapon, but I had hands – and I reached way back, punching him in the side of his face. His head snapped to the side and he staggered a few steps to his right, clutching his face where my fist had left a nasty red welt. He looked at me with wide eyes and a look of utter helplessness on his face – which made me wonder, not for the first time, if it were just part of some calculated act. And if it was, I had to say, he was a damn fine actor.
“What the hell was that all about?” I screamed at him.
“I was just going to ask you the same question,” he said, holding his face in his hands. “Why the hell did you just hit me?”
Grabbing him by the shoulders, I forced him to look at me. “You were talking to those guards moments before they did – whatever they did to that man – and dragged him away. What were you talking to them about? Huh? You selling us out, you son of a bitch?”
“I wasn't! I was asking if they could get me back to Earth,” he said. “I didn't want to go with you the rest of the way on this insane mission you're on. I'm not part of it and I don't belong out here.”
I wanted to believe him. He was, after all, a kid. And I couldn't blame him for wanting to get home. But there was a lot he wasn't telling me – I could see it in his eyes. And I wasn't comfortable not having the answers. Not having the truth.
“What did they say?” I asked.
“They said there were no ships headed to Earth and that I needed to stay with you,” he said.
“Oh yeah? And why is that?”
Theron shrugged. “I don't know.”
I pulled my fist back once more, this time, lining up his nose. He flinched and held up his hands to ward off the blow.
“Seriously, Gemma! I don't know anything,” he said.
It was Xavix who stopped me by putting his big, metallic paw on my shoulder. Calmly, he whispered to me.
“People are staring,” he said. “We should probably go.”
I dropped Theron and stepped back, but kept an eye on him. “I'm watching you,” I said. “And I still don't trust you, not one little bit.”
He continued rubbing his face as the three of us walked back towardThe Colossus. We'd be early, but considering everything I'd just witnessed, I no longer felt safe on the streets. No matter how friendly Javis was supposed to be toward humans. Obviously something was going on there. Something far less than friendly.
I just wanted to get in the air and on my way again – as fast as humanly possible.
Chapter Seven
“Almost done,” the mechanic said as we approachedThe Umbra. “Should have you on your way within the hour.”
In a corner of the building, I saw the man in the dark uniform that had greeted us earlier. He glowered at us, seeming to be talking on a communications device – probably to Boygan. The mechanic, on the other hand, seemed like the exact opposite of that guy. He was friendly and even gave me a smile – though, that did little to dispel the overall creepy nature of the Zhakans in general. But, he seemed nice enough.
“You guys work fast,” I said, fearing the quality of the work, given how quickly they'd managed to repair the damage to my ship.
“It's what we do,” the mechanic said. “Zhakan mechanics are some of the best you'll find, anywhere. Fast. Efficient. And we do the job right.”
I wasn't sure if that was true or just him boasting. Either way, I looked over at Xavix who was checking things out. I might not trust the Zhakans – for good reason, considering who they were working for – but I trusted my metallic companion. He looked over at me and nodded his head, as if he'd read my mind.
“They're doing a fabulous job,” he said. “I don't think the ship has ever been in such good shape mechanically speaking – not in the entire time you've owned her.”
“Oh, gee, thanks,” I laughed, rolling my eyes as I sat down on the ground.
I had no desire to go too far into Javis – or actually, anywhere near that city – again. Not after what I'd seen out there. Not with this ominous feeling still hanging over my head. I couldn't ask anyone about it, and there was no chance to speak to Theron. He stayed away from me, sitting a little further out but not talking to anyone. Smart move, given my nearly overwhelming desire to punch him again.
Maybe we could leave him there. I didn't trust him, and after what happened, I really didn't want him traveling with us. For all I knew, he was a spy for Boygan. Maybe he was the eyes and ears they were talking about. And maybe he left us back there just to make us think he wasn'
t.
Or maybe I was being a paranoid freak. But, when dealing with somebody like Boygan, I learned that one can't really ever be too paranoid.
“We can't just leave him here,” Xavix said to me – again, as if he could read my mind.
“Why not?”
“Because he's human, and from the looks of it, something is happening to the humans here,” he said.
“He can find a ride back on his own,” I muttered.
“Like the guy asking for your help earlier did?”
Xavix had a point. I sighed and felt a sliver of guilt and shame pierce my heart.
“But what if he's with them?” I asked. “What if he's Boygan's inside guy? We already know he lies and that we can't trust him.”
Xavix shook his head. “I have never known Boygan or the Zhakans to work with humans,” he said. “Have you? They despise you. They despise all humankind, actually. Need I remind you, they want to see your planet – and everybody on it – wiped out.”
They did hate us – that much was true. They hated us and wanted to see Earth destroyed completely. I hated to admit it, but Xavix had a point. Not that it made me feel any better about Theron or our current predicament. The feeling that saturated the air on Jarvis was ominous and bordering on sinister. A feeling that was only reinforced in my bones when I saw Theron seeming to be buddying it up with those Zhakan soldiers.
I looked over at Theron – he was sitting on a stack of crates against a wall on the opposite side of the hangar as us. He seemed to be picking at his fingernails and muttering to himself – and studiously avoiding eye contact with me. Which was probably a good thing. In the mood I was in, if he dared to make eye contact with me, I might have gone over there and popped him again for good measure.
“Okay, so if he's not working for Boygan,” I said. “Then who is he working for? Why was he chumming it up with the Zhakans out there?”
Xavix shrugged. “Perhaps, what he said was true,” he replied evenly. “Perhaps, he really was just asking them for a ride back to Earth. He is right, after all – he doesn't belong out here.”
Treachery: Celestial Empires Book 2 Page 5