by Saxon Andrew
Gregor tilted his head and started nodding, “Riigghhhht. That’s really thinking things through, Computer.”
“They ought to know that taking the 440 would only take two weeks instead of a months, however, I don’t think they would suspect we would go to Andromeda to pick it up.”
“Why not?”
“You know how bad the pirates are here. Without fuel to outrun them, most sensible travelers avoid Andromeda.”
“Have you detected any ships shadowing us?”
“There were four or five chasing us at different places while you were asleep but they weren’t willing to burn the fuel to catch us.”
“Are you sure they were criminals and not the Movement?”
“Yes, none of the ships had a drive system in good working order. We’re arriving at the 440 in an hour. You should probably buckle up.”
“I’m going to get something to eat and I’ll buckle in afterwards.”
“Alright, one hour.”
“One hour it is.”
• • •
Gregor saw the black hole along with the giant white filament coming out of it and moving directly away into intergalactic space. Gregor could actually see the flow on both sides of the filament, which wasn’t normally possible from this distance. But this particular filament was four hundred and forty miles wide and moving at an incredible speed. He watched as the computer moved the ship off a smaller filament and then slip into the outer edge of the 440. Gregor was ready and was gripping the arms of his chair and had his head pushed back against the head restraint on the seatback but he was still shoved viciously into the chair’s cushions. The violent acceleration continued for ten minutes before it started to let up. Gregor reached up and rubbed his neck, “How far is the 440 going to take us?”
“Most of the way. We’ll be in the Zegar Sector in three days.”
“What?”
“I’m using the boosters.”
“Don’t waste our fuel.”
“Gregor, we have enough to last us more than twenty years. We’ll be fine.”
“Just saying.”
“I know Emmett hammered that point home in both of us but we never had this much fuel in the past. Would you prefer to take a couple of weeks to get there?”
“You’re right. And no I wouldn’t. Send me what you found on this Bellingham to my console.”
“Sending now.”
Gregor saw the file and opened it. The first line of the file was in big red letters, ‘DO NOT LAND ON THIS PLANET IF YOU VALUE YOUR LIFE!!!’
“Oh, Computer…I have a question for you.”
“You must have noticed the first line on the file. Just ignore it.”
“WHAT? This says that visitors are not welcome and Bellingham laws do not protect strangers. The local population is encouraged to kill anyone they don’t readily recognize. It also says no one that has landed there has lived to tell about it.”
“Since when has something like this ever stopped us in the past?”
Gregor stared at the wall speaker and after a moment said, “You’re right, when will we arrive?”
“Pay attention, I told you three more days. You might want to wear that hat.”
“Way ahead of you. I’m also wearing my sword where it can be seen.”
“That should get you recognized as a local.”
Gregor went to the second page and said, “Computer, the men wear kilts. I don’t have a kilt. I’m not going to look anything like them.”
“That means you’re not a sissy. They’re respect your uniqueness.”
“They kill unique individuals, Computer.”
“Better talk fast.”
Gregor nodded and continued to read the file. Umm…it appeared the women on this planet were as deadly as the men with swords and the use of a bow. This could prove to be problematic. He looked up and remembered how his mother had raised her sword above her head. She did that with very good form. It’s hard to use a sword against something you couldn’t see. That told him that his mother had not been through any training like they put him through. He could still see the Green Death. He owed that so called Wise One for killing her; but that would have to come another time.
He finished the file and went to the rear of the ship where the workout room was located. The room had cost a fortune but Emmett had insisted on installing it. He took out a wooden staff about the same length as his sword out of a cabinet and looked up, “Start with program five.”
“Shouldn’t you try program one first to loosen up?”
“I suspect when I arrive on that planet I won’t be given time to stretch and loosen up before someone shows me their sword.”
“Ok, program five it is. You’ve only managed to reach six, so I do suggest you start with an easier program.”
“Start Five!” Gregor raised the hardened wooden staff and went up on the balls of his feet as he slowly moved into the center of the room while he mentally stared the chant. A six foot tall wooden post with a three foot piece of hardwood extending out from it came out of the floor behind him and spun toward him. The extended wood from the post swung at a high speed toward his head and he ducked under it and used the wooden staff to knock the wooden arm off the vertical post as it flew over him. Another post came out of the floor in front of him and he dove to the left as the two wooden arms connected to it swung around at him. One was a foot off the floor and the other chest high. Gregor knocked the lower piece of wood off as he dove under the upper arm. The post immediately disappeared back into the floor and another shot up behind him.
Gregor was in a zone as he whispered the chant he used in the cave while confronting the Green Death. He moved deftly around the room avoiding the posts. By the end of the exercise, three posts would come out of the floor simultaneously and he easily avoided being hit by any of them.
When the buzzer went off, he immediately sat down on the deck breathing heavily. “Gregor, you made it to level ten. You’ve never come close to doing that in the past. What’s going on?” the Computer asked.
“I think some of the training I received as a child is coming back. I feel…different. I don’t know how to describe it to you but my perceptions seem to have improved.”
“Your reaction times are off the scale as well. Something has changed. Do you think it’s a good thing?”
“I don’t…I honestly don’t know, Computer. I’m going to go soak.”
“What?”
“You know…take a bath.”
“Gregor, I’ve never known you to willingly bathe since Emmet died.”
“I did when Emmett was around. I stopped after he died. I just…” Gregor grew silent and shrugged.
“I know,” the computer said softly. Gregor walked out of the workout room and went to his quarters. The pain of losing Emmett was still a deep ache. Now a new pain of was seeping into his consciousness from seeing his mother die. He clearly saw her fear for him while she was pulling him through the snow during the vision and knew she loved him very much. Maybe he’d learn about her on this planet.
• • •
Gregor looked down at the planet and saw that it differed from any planet he had ever seen. All the landmasses were entirely covered with dense forests and the trees soared hundreds of feet above the planet’s surface. The file on Bellingham said the population numbered close to a billion inhabitants but this didn’t support that piece of information. Where were the communities? “I can see you’re confused,” the Computer said.
“Where are the communities?”
“There’s only one that’s not under the trees and it’s on the other side of the planet from us. Those trees on the surface are rather huge and the area around their trunks are clear for hundreds of yards. I suspect the root systems of those giant trees must deprive other plants of water and keep them away. The communities are built under the planet’s canopy close to the giant tree trunks. It was that feature that caused the original traders that hired the humans as mercenaries to se
lect them. Whoever came would have to be familiar with dealing with heavy forestation.”
“And the humans didn’t clear any of them to build?”
“Only at one site. They have chosen that site to keep others away from their planet. Anyone coming to Bellingham will have to go to the one site cleared enough to land a starship. The community next to the clearing is built next to a large freshwater lake that provides their drinking water. I suspect the sole purpose of that community to send any intruders packing.”
“Why did you stop here?”
“I wanted you to see this planet before you went to the surface.”
“They’ve not cleared the trees for another reason as well.”
“What is that, Gregor?”
“Any would be conqueror wouldn’t waste their time attacking just one settlement. This makes their world unattractive to any would be aggressor.”
“They were attacked a hundred years after they arrived.”
“Oh? I didn’t see that in the file.”
“That information is in the file about the civilization that hired them originally. They decided they wanted this planet back and they hired other mercenaries to come in and remove the humans.”
“And?’
“They landed and within a week stopped communicating. They were never heard from again and those mercenaries came in with high-tech blasters and armaments. According to the records, the ships that brought them never detected them firing them. They had to be killed by tactics used by the locals that prevented the mercenary’s attackers from exposing themselves to fire.”
“That sounds ominous.”
“Doesn’t it? There’s something else.”
Gregor tilted his head, “What is that?”
“Most planets have a field around them to stop high energy particles from hitting the planet.”
“It’s called a magnetic field.”
“I know that! But the one around this planet is different.”
“How so?”
“The field around Earth comes from iron spinning in the planet’s core as it rotates. I suppose this field also comes from the metal in this planets core as well but it doesn’t appear that the metal in the core is iron. It’s something else.”
“Something else?”
“It may be the same metal your sword is made of.” Gregor’s head went back. The computer continued, “I’ve never been able to understand how your sword never seems to lose its sharp edge and it will cut through things that should stop it. It has defied my analysis and I’ve not seen that metal anywhere else.”
Gregor’s eyes narrowed, “How is the field different?”
“It does stop high energy particles but it…it’s different. Like your sword, it defies analysis.”
“Is this a good idea?” Gregor asked.
“How bad do you want to learn about your mother?”
Gregor sighed, “Take me to the community where we can land.”
“I’d prefer to wait until it’s in daylight. I’m not sure that arriving at night would be a good idea,” the Computer cautioned.
“Ok, I think you’re right.”
“Try to get some rest. It’ll be in daylight in six hours.”
Gregor nodded and closed his eyes. He wanted a brew in the worse possible way but knew one would lead to ten. He closed his eyes and thought about the memories that came flooding back when he was in the Wise One’s grip. He didn’t think he’d be able to sleep but the chant put him out quickly.
• • •
“Gregor, it’s time.”
Gregor took a deep breath as he extended his arms and stretched. He opened his eyes and didn’t have the normal pain from light sensitivity. He stood up and took the sword propped against his chair and put the leather strap over his shoulder. He took the hat off the chair arm and put it on as he stood up. “Take us down.”
“Gregor, do you want me to use the blaster if you’re in danger?”
“Use your best judgment.”
“I’m really concerned that I might not be able to do that if you’re in a tight spot. I think I’d be prone to shoot first and ask questions later.”
“These are my mother’s people. I guess if I have to die, I’d rather die here than by the Dragons or the Movement. Don’t fire unless I order it.”
“Don’t wait too long. I can see some of the ones out in the open have bows.”
Gregor shrugged and left the bridge. By the time he arrived at the landing bay, he saw the tops of trees moving above the ship through the porthole in the landing bay door. The ship landed in a huge cleared area beside the community and Gregor saw a large number of the locals walking toward the ship. He opened the port and stepped out as a crowd arrived and stopped about ten yards away. A huge man, wearing a kilt and a wide sash over his shoulder, pointed at Gregor and yelled loud enough for him to hear, “Well, take a look at this, Laddies. We have a McGregor impersonator. Andy, do the onors and let im know how we deal with impersonators!!”
A man six inches taller than the speaker stepped out from behind him and moved toward Gregor; as he pulled his sword out of a scabbard over his shoulder, he said, “Me onor, Deke.” He lifted it over his shoulder and advanced on Gregor.
Chapter Eight
The crowd began spreading out around Gregor as he heard in his mind, “Should I fire!?”
“Shut up, I’m trying to focus!” Gregor started quietly chanting as he focused and watched the giant move toward him. He immediately saw the tall man was wearing a hat just like the one he had on and the sword had the same shaped hilt. Then the man was on him and he swung his sword viciously at Gregor’s head. Gregor moved under the swing and had his sword out of the scabbard in an instant. The attacker’s blade reversed and came back as Gregor parried it with his sword. Gregor moved to the left and the attacker followed him swinging from his right side.
Gregor parried every strike and the blades rang out as they met at a speed that made it sound like one long sound of metal hitting metal. After a minute, Gregor took his sword’s point to flick the man’s hat off his head between two fast strikes. A moment later, Gregor used the blade to cut the buttons off the sash he was wearing along with the strings holding his shoes to his feet. The crowd that was yelling encouragement to the huge man grew silent as the minutes passed and all that could be heard was the two sword blades striking each other. The attacker tried every possible tactic to hit Gregor but nothing was working and it was clear he was tiring.
Suddenly a voice rang out, “STOP THIS NONSENSE NOW!!”
The attacker instantly backed off and was breathing heavily from the exertion. Gregor had his sword raised directly above his head and saw a middle aged man walking through the crowd. In an instant, his sword was back in its scabbard. The crowd murmured at the speed he had put it away. The man walked up to Gregor and stared at him. His eyes widened slightly and he turned to the crowd, “Daid any of ye look at him closely fore ya tried to kill em?”
The original man who first spoke said, “What are ye jammerin bout? He doesn’t have a clan mark on is arm; those green marks are not from here!”
The man motioned the speaker forward and he scowled as he came over and stood next to the older man, who said, “Look at is eyes.”
The man looked into Gregory’s eyes and his eyes went wide, “WHO ARE YE, LAD?”
Gregor stared at them and said, “I honestly don’t know.”
The older man asked, “What do ye mean ye don’t know?”
“All I know is that my mother is from here and I’ve come to see if anyone knows anything about her. I’ve come here to find out who I am.”
The older man said, “How do ye know she was one of us?”
“She had this sword and I had this hat from when I was a small child. She had the mark on the hat tattooed on her left arm.”
“May I see ye sword, Lad?”
Gregor reached over his shoulder and pulled the sword without looking. He held it out to the older man who didn�
��t attempt to take it out of his hand. He looked at the attacker and said, “This sword has the MacGregor Mark on it, Anderson.”
A woman’s voice from the crowd yelled, “As does his hat.”
The Attacker walked up and looked into Gregor’s eyes and then looked at the sword; He exhaled a long breath and turned to the older man, “He has er eyes.”
Gregor quickly said, “Whose eyes?”
The middle aged man ignored Gregor and said, “He’s about the right age as well. This is an issue for ye Clan Leader, Andy.”
The man who attacked him turned and said, “What is ye name?”
“My mother called me Gregory but I refer to myself as Gregor.”
“Why did ye choose that name?”
Gregor stared at the man and then shook his head, “I really don’t know? I think I didn’t like the name the ones that were doing things to me used to call me.”
The three men standing in front of Gregor looked at each other and then the attacker said, “I will take him and allow the Clan Leader to decide what to do about this.”
“Do not answer his questions, Anderson! That is for the Elder.”
Anderson nodded and said to Gregor, “Put ye sword away. We have a journey to make and I’ll not strike at ye again.”
A woman ran up and put her arm around the tall man’s waist, “Will I be going with ye?”
The attacker looked at the older man who shrugged, “Your time here is almost over, Andy. It makes no sense to send ye and then have ye come back. Have ye Clan send a replacement.”
The tall man nodded and looked at Gregor, “Are ye willing to come with me?”
“Where are we going?”
“To ye Clan.”
Gregor thought about it and sent a thought to the ship through his link, “Get out of here and come back periodically to check up on me. Hide where you won’t be seen.”
The crowd had moved closer to Gregory during the conversation and they all turned as the ship’s boosters activated and the ship began moving into the atmosphere. Anderson looked at him, “Did ye do that?” Gregor nodded. Anderson looked at the ship as it rose higher and turned back to Gregor, “We’ll leave after we collect our longings.”