by K. L. Bone
Chapter XXII
The year I turned twenty-one I was assigned to help Lord Kasar in his conquest of future Setian Colony 428. As I saw what had once been my home planet, I expected emotions to build within me, but they did not. Almost strangely, this planet seemed no different from any other.
I met Lord Kasar down by the secret Setian pool, deep beneath Earth’s surface. There, he greeted me with a smile. “Greetings, my Lady. And may I congratulate you on your recent promotion.”
“Thank you, my Lord. I find that third in command has a much nicer ring than fifth.”
He nodded. “Everything is going according to plan.”
“Good to hear, though I never assumed it would be otherwise.”
Smoothly of course, because the people of Earth had no idea that they were slowly, one by one, being dragged beneath their planet’s surface and into the Setian pool. A quiet battle which we were winning easily because the humans did not even know they were at war. The Lorids were our only true enemies. They were the only ones who knew what we were doing and dared to fight back. A group of them had been sent to defend Earth. They underestimated our forces and were annihilated.
As I watched a new group of human beings thrown into cages to wait their turns to be infested, I was pleased at how orderly things were working. As I watched, I felt pity, but not for humans being infested; I felt pity that they were not worthy enough of their own lives. I felt pity that they were not good enough, not strong enough to protect themselves. My attention was drawn to a little girl standing in one of the left cages. She was probably fourteen years old and was so scared she was shaking. The guard opened the door and grabbed her, paying no mind to her fear or youth.
“No,” she screamed. “Please, no!” The guards forced her over to the side of the pool and pushed her to the ground. She struggled, but those holding her were too strong. They jerked her forward before slowly forcing her head into the pool.
I stepped close enough to see her face through the clear liquid as a Setian slowly swam towards her. When it was done, her head was jerked back and she gagged and tried to get away in her last few moments of freedom before the Setian finally gained control over his captive. Then, she stopped screaming, stood, and calmly walked away. It was at this moment, as I watched this child become a slave that I realized what my father had known so long ago; I was no longer human.
As it happened, our invasion was discovered by a small select group and an underground resistance did form. Though they did very little long-lasting damage, they were a continual nuisance. Little problems tend to add up. By the time the invasion was coming to a climax, I knew that this resistance was something which had to be taken care of before final victory could be claimed.
Then one day I was given the opportunity I had been waiting for. One of my people down on Earth, Lukare fifteen, discovered the location of the heart of the resistance. It was a small town in Arizona in the middle of nowhere. It wasn’t the most effective place for leading attacks, but it was great for not being noticed. Lukare’s host was infested, but his family was not. To keep up appearances, he took his family on a vacation that they took every year. Lukare was driving from his home in Dallas to California with his wife and daughter when they decided to stop at a motel in Arizona. At a local restaurant, he spotted a man he believed to be Ryan, a known sub-commander in the resistance and one of the few known to our forces. He excused himself, stepped outside, and put in a call to Harars eighteen, who was on duty that night.
It was late, the equivalent of midnight, space standard time. Lord Kasar was asleep and had issued orders not to be disturbed. Lord Jetreal, after a recent promotion, was second in command with my father just a step above him. Lord Jetreal and I were in charge that night so the news of this possible sighting came directly to me.
I was in my private chambers working on future plans for the invasion of the Lorid home-world. We were not quite ready for an all-out attack, wanting to have Earth completely under our control before we moved on to the next conquest.
My room had a large fireplace with candles surrounding the bed. The walls were black. The bed was covered with shimmering blankets of bright red satin with matching pillows. The walls were covered in murals of dragons from some of the Empire’s most renowned artists. They had been paid for by my father as a gift upon my promotion. Lord Kavra was now fifth in command. I was lying on my bed plotting when there was a knock at my door. “Come in,” I called.
“Lady Dehartra,” one of my guards stated, bowing low before me. “A report has come in from earth, one of our men believe they have found Ryan Shore.”
“Where?”
“Arizona,” he answered.
“Where is Lord Jetreal?”
“On his ship I assume, my Lady.”
“Open a communication on the main deck and request a virtual audience with him. I believe he will want to know this.” He bowed and left the room, and I followed a few minutes later, and walked quickly through the darkened hallways to the main bridge. As I stepped into the communications room, there was a 3-D version of Lord Jetreal. He had decided against taking a human body, instead assuming the form of a Horde with their incredible strength, dark fur, and pig-looking nose. His choice of host spoke volumes. This was a creature who would not have known anything about finesse if his life depended upon it, and who believed that brute strength solved everything. How he was possibly ranked above me, I would never understand.
“This had better be important,” he grumbled in a strongly accented Setian language. His eyes were blinking as though they were a little too dry. Had he been sleeping on his night in charge?
“Lord Jetreal,” I said. “A report just came in that one of our men, Lukare fifteen, believes he has found Ryan Shore.”
“Ryan who?”
I resisted the urge to shake my head as I answered, “Ryan Shore, third in command of the rebel forces on Earth. Lukare believes he has found him in a small town in Arizona.”
“And where is that?”
“United States,” I replied.
“You are telling me that some nobody just happened to find the third in command of the rebel forces, after they have managed to elude our best trackers for over a year? Rubbish!”
“My Lord, I agree it is unlikely, but surely not impossible. Someone should investigate this further.”
“It will be nothing but a waste of forces and time.”
“I’ll do it myself,” I told him. “That way it won’t inconvenience anyone. It should not take more than a few hours.”
“You think,” He growled, “that just because Lord Kasar favors you, you can get away with whatever you wish.”
“Lord Kasar has nothing to do with this,” I replied sharply. “A report has come in and I think it should be investigated.”
“Don’t play dumb with me! I know he’s your father and I know why you hold the title you do. I wonder if you have ever been told no in your entire life. Have you? Well, it starts now. You are not to go down to that planet, do you understand? That is an order and you will obey me!”
I narrowed my eyes, anger heating my words, “For your information, people have told me ‘no’ before. They have just never lived long enough to tell the tale.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“I’m teaching you.”
“You are to stay on that ship!” He said one more time as he cut the transmission. As I stood in the suddenly quiet and dark room, Lord Kavra stepped up beside me. He has been assigned as one of my consultants for planning the upcoming attack on the Lorid home-world and was staying on my ship for a few nights in the guest quarters.
“What you are thinking is dangerous, even for you.”
“I know.”
“If you aren’t right about this, you could lose it all.”
“I know.”
“But,” he continued, “if you are going to do this, then I would love to go with you.”
“I can’t ask you to do that.”
> “You don’t have to. An adventure with certain death assured? Sounds like fun.” I couldn’t help but smile.
“Captain,” I called. “Gather a small task force.”
“As you wish.”
I boarded a transport ship with a small task force around me. A few minutes later I was stepping out into the hot Arizona night. For the trip I had changed into a pair of black slacks and a plain black shirt with sleeves covering my arms completely and synched tightly at the wrist. It was low cut in a rounded scoop at the front and I had traded in my usual jewels for a simple gold chain. My long black hair blended with the outfit. I took a breath of the warm, dry air and began to glance around.
We were on the sidewalk lining Main Street of a small town. “Where is the Lukare?” I asked.
“Local hotel,” was the reply. “He’s waiting on us.”
We walked down the street lit by dimly burning street lamps until we came to the small motel only a few blocks away. When we reached the lobby, a thin man with a pale complexion, glasses, and brown hair came up to meet us. “Lukare fifteen?” I asked.
He nodded. “I know it sounds crazy to say I just ran into him like this, but I really think it’s him. He has the same eyes, the same hair and,” he paused as though looking for the word, “mannerism. There is just something about him; he looks like a leader.”
“Do you know where he went after the restaurant?”
“Yes. He has a house, not more than two houses down from here.” Then he said, “By the way, you responded awfully fast. Who are you?”
“I am Lady Dehartra Kasar, servant to the Empire, third in command of the Setian military, and the daughter of Lord Kasar.” I smiled and said, “That’s who I am. Any other questions?” What little color the Lukare’s checks held seemed to disappear and the guards behind me seemed to stand a little straighter. I turned to my guards, “Hand me a casdael,” the Setian word for gun. He complied. All the guards who had accompanied me were human so as not to draw attention.
“You,” I motioned to Lukare, “are going to point out this house to me. Then you are going to remain with these men while I go see for myself if this is the man we have been searching for.”
“But my Lady,” he said. “My host’s family?”
“Shall be taken care of,” I replied, then turned to my guards. “Call in additional forces and have the Lukare’s family infested immediately, but,” I added hastily, “call those forces in from an earth-based location. No outer planet communication whatsoever. We wouldn’t want our trip cut short now, would we?”
Then I turned back to the informant in front of me, “As for you Lukare fifteen, if you are right about who this man is, you shall be promoted immediately. On the other hand, if you are wrong,” I let my voice trail off for a moment before asking, “Now, which house am I going to?”
He pointed to a one-story wooden house. It was white with a blue front porch and a small front yard. Lord Kavra stepped up beside me. “So what’s the plan? Should I surround the house and send a force to take down whoever is inside? Or do you want that particular job?”
“Actually,” I replied. “I thought I’d go knock on the door.”
His eyes shifted from the house to my face. “My god, you’re serious.”
I smiled. “We are not here to take anyone down tonight. For all we know the house is being watched. All I want to know is if the man in the house is Ryan or not.”
“And?”
“It’s true that Ryan is not my favorite person right now, but taking down the third in command is not exactly what I had in mind.”
Kavra met my eyes and I suddenly had his full attention. “You never did like being second best.”
“Think about it, Kavra. If I capture Ryan Shore, I’ll get a pat on the back. But if I were to take down Darin Hoyle.”
“The resistance would be over,” Kavra finished.
“Lord Jetreal would be demoted for ordering us not to come. Councilor Selorim will be executed for promoting Jetreal to a top position in the first place, and we will become first on the promotion list to the council itself.”
A moment of silence followed then Kavra said, “So go knock on the door already.”
I pushed my hair back from my face, walked down the street, and up the steps to the front porch of the previously identified house. I glanced over my shoulder at the door and saw no one. I knocked on the door.
A few seconds later, a woman answered the door. “May I help you?”
“Hi, is Ryan here?”
“No,” she replied. My heart sank to the floor. “He’s out for the evening.”
“Do you know where he might be? I really need to speak with him.”
“Sure,” she replied. “Thursday nights are dance nights down at the local bar and grill. It’s just down the street and it’s the only one in town, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find.”
I offered a smile and said, “Thanks.” I turned and walked back down the steps as the door closed with a soft click behind me.
I walked at an even pace several blocks, until I was sure that no one standing at the window of the house would be able to still see me. I stopped and a few moments later, Lord Kavra was at my side.
“So? What’s the verdict?”
“The verdict,” I answered, “is that I need to change into my boots.”
“Excuse me?”
“I need to change into boots. Black, high-heeled, snake-skin boots.
“Where are my Captains?” I asked. Promptly, two men stepped forward.
“My Lady?”
“I’m going out to a bar tonight, western style. But I’m not dressed appropriately. What I really need,” I paused to think.
“Forgive me, my Lady, but you are going to a what?”
“A bar,” I repeated. “Yes, but what I need are some snakeskin boots, a western style shirt, a belt with an elaborate buckle, and a pair or Rockies. That should do it.”
“You want some rocks, my Lady?” the guard beside him shrugged. “How many rocks would you like?”
“No,” I said. “Not rocks, Rockies, as in Rocky Mountain Jeans. You do know what jeans are, don’t you.”
“Yes, my Lady,” said the guard on the left.
“We have a fashion designer on staff. Find her and have her bring me a pair along with an appropriate shirt; and make them tight.”
“How tight?” this coming from Kavra, of course. I couldn’t help but return his teasing smile.
“So tight that I have to lie down just to zip them up.” I turned back to the guard. “Meanwhile, why don’t the two of you send someone to fetch a western belt with an elaborate gold buckle?”
They bowed. “Don’t forget to mention the boots,” I called after them as they left to follow my orders. I made a point to always keep someone on ship who was up to date in the latest fashions, in this case Julie, who I had brought with me on this little outing. Jeans would be a little out of her usual area, but she would at least know what I was talking about and would be able to direct my guards to the correct place to find what I asked for.
In the meantime, I returned to the small transport we had taken down to the planet. When my guards returned with Julie, she did not disappoint. Thirty minutes later I was standing in front of a mirror staring at my new outfit. My long sleeve western shirt was a deep red. A black Stetson hat sat upon my dark hair which hung loose and curly beneath it. My neck was lined by a silver choker and large silver earrings hung from both ears. I took shallow breaths, adjusting to the tightness of my dark blue Rocky Mountain jeans tucked into black snake-skin boots with thin lined designs. The transformation was fantastic, now all I was waiting on was the belt.
It came a few minutes later. It was gold and covered with sequins all the way around with a red sequined buckle. I laughed, then sighed and shook my head. “Well that’s…certainly elaborate,” I said, “but not quite what I had in mind.”
The guards appeared uncomfortable. “Don’t worry,” I said. “I sh
ould have been more specific, Lord Kavra,” he had just walked in and was laughing quietly at the sight of the sequin belt. “Do you mind helping them out please?”
“Sure thing.” He took my guard aside and explained what I was asking for.
A few minutes later, a large western buckle had been brought to me on a black belt. It was silver and composed of three hearts intertwined with each other. The outlining of the buckle was etched to make it appear that a silver rope surrounded each heart and the inside was engraved with wildflowers which contained a hint of red all but lost inside of the silver outline to create the elaborate triple heart. I left the ship and was surprised to find Kavra waiting for me outside.
Kavra had a white long sleeve shirt on with a black hat. The top few buttons of his shirt were undone and his piercing blue eyes gazed through me. His blue jeans were as dark as mine and I was willing to bet, just as tight. I returned his smile before asking, “Where do you think you’re going?”
“Just following my leader. What kind of a second would I be if I let you go in there without backup?”
“Okay, you can walk down there with me, but I still want you to stay outside.”
“I don’t understand.”
“This is a small town,” I replied “The chances of two completely different strangers walking into a small town bar on the same night at the same time are next to none. If things get crazy and I need you, then it’s great you’re dressed for the part, but for right now I need to go in alone. Now, for your personal information, my necklace,” I touched the silver chain held tightly around my neck, “has been implanted with a transmitter. You will hear everything going on while I am in there. Trust me, if I need your help, you’ll know.”
It was a short walk down the street. It was about 10:00pm earth-time and the bar was the only place open in this small Arizona town. My guards followed me to just shy of the parking lot before dispersing to ensure that all the exits were covered and that they would have easy, quick access into the building if necessary.