by R. E. Rowe
“Yes, we all will,” Jayden replied. “Please, just call me, Killgeek.” He pointed at Parker. “He goes by G-striker.”
RegusZ raised his voice. “It is a privilege. Lorcan spoke highly of your clan.”
The rest of the team greeted Jayden and Parker as if they were the heroes of a recent football game.
“No one ever fought the Atilla on the front line like you did,” another mason said.
“Your fight holo-vid has gone viral among the masons,” Talon added.
“A viral video?” Parker asked.
“Totally, all tin cans have thee video recording,” Talon said. “We hacked in and stole it, along with Zeekmo’s flying video. Lorcan uploaded it to our Space Net Zebra cloud and configured it for self-replication.
It went viral. You, G-striker, and Zeekmo are doing some major trending. Will the babe be joining us?”
“Sorry. Just us,” Jayden said.
Talon’s face dropped.
“What is the plan?” RegusZ asked.
“Good question,” Jayden replied, and scratched his head. “I’ll give you all a signal, probably a sound or something. Just follow my lead and make sure the briefing continues to be transmitted across both galaxies no matter what. I want everyone out there watching.”
“What is the signal?” RegusZ asked.
“Knowing my friend here, it will depend on the situation,” Parker said, turning to Jayden. “Right?”
Jayden nodded. “You’ll know it when you hear it.”
RegusZ reluctantly nodded.
“Let’s start by getting into the briefing. How are we going to manage that?” Jayden asked.
“Follow,” RegusZ said, waving at them. “You will stand in the middle with G-striker next to you.” RegusZ
gazed at a device on his wrist filled with sequences of numbers that made no sense to Jayden. “We must hurry.
We have this timed to a micro-rotation.”
The boy began jogging.
Jayden, Parker, and the rest of the masons followed him along a walkway with channels of stinky, dark water on both sides. The group continued jogging until they reached a long flight of steep stairs with no handrails that went upward about five stories.
“Watch your step,” RegusZ said.
Jayden wasn’t typically freaked about heights, but falling onto a solid walkway or into a river of brown sewer water and poop had him navigating the stairs more carefully than usual. When they reached the top level, a dozen more masons greeted them.
The area was wide enough to drive two golf carts side-by-side. But the level wasn’t as warm as the one below, and it wasn’t humid either. Even the smell was better. Clean with a touch of lemon. He figured this level was probably a supply route below the main habitat, sort of an underground, temperature-controlled maintenance level.
“Be ready, they come soon,” a mason said to them, his face dark green and his hands trembling.
A door opened from a level above. An older kid in a Space Command uniform led twenty Space Command recruits down the open stairs to where they had previously gathered.
Jayden held his breath. None of the recruits were masons. It would only take one wrong word to blow their cover.
A young recruit approached Jayden and RegusZ. “Is this where Leader Nuk’ana will give his briefing?” he asked. The kid shifted his head in jerks, searching the hallway.
“Yes, recruit,” replied RegusZ. “Please follow these Space Command officers.” He pointed to the mason kids in pressed Space Command uniforms who’d been waiting on the platform.
The recruits followed them down to the sewer level.
“All clear,” RegusZ said. “We’ll take their places beside Nuk’ana in the briefing. Quickly now.” He led the way to the main level.
The group walked into a spotless hallway with bright, artificial white light and marched single file behind RegusZ. When they turned a corner, a tall Zepar army officer was waiting. “You are thirty ticks late, Space Recruits,” the officer said with a growl.
Jayden cringed when he got a close-up look at the shape-shifter’s bony jaw. And he still couldn’t get used to the Zepars’ old sock smell with a slight hint of dead snake.
Focus on the mission, he thought.
“Apologies,” RegusZ said, his eyes steady. “We are ready, sir.”
The Zepar hissed and showed its teeth. “Stay single file and march behind me to the briefing area,” he said sharply. “We must not be late.”
They continued through the rounded, dome-shaped habitat in a synchronous march a couple of feet apart.
Jayden followed behind RegusZ with Parker behind him. It was as if they were walking through one-story pipes with a transparent top half. Metal ribs reinforced the rounded walls.
Jayden saw rain splashing on top of the habitat through the clear ceiling. The inside was spotless with a hospital odor, sort of a cross between rubbing alcohol and mint. Leader Nuk’ana was one smart alien dude, picking out such a remote location instead of a planet like Earth or somewhere similar to give his briefing.
Local workers hustled back and forth as they continued to march. The workers were men, women, and children no taller than four-feet tall, with chalky skin and long, unkempt, greasy yellow hair. Grime and dirt covered their faces and soiled their clothes. The workers smelled like a ripe trash bin. Jayden figured they hadn’t bathed for months, if ever. The workers were busy cleaning everything in sight. It was as if all the grime from the habitat stuck onto them like biological lint rollers.
Up ahead, he saw healthy green plants and trees—an atrium oasis in the middle of a sanitized mining habitat. Plants grew out of the stone floor. The entire place had been scrubbed and polished—trees trimmed, bushes shaped, and stone floors polished to the point that Jayden could see his reflection.
About thirty round, softball-sized metal balls hovered in the air around the atrium with lenses sticking out of them. A group of twenty Zepar worked just outside of the atrium at desks with control panels, apparently controlling the camera balls.
He realized why Nuk’ana had selected the location. It was obvious. Leader Nuk’ana and his army could control the briefing set and manage security. Over fifty Zepar guards patrolled just outside of the set. Jayden never imagined so many Zepars would be guarding Nuk’ana, though it made perfect sense. He also had hoped there’d be a few escape routes to choose from, but he didn’t see any at all. Not a single one. He was feeling sick again.
Nuk’ana is one smart buzzard, he thought, and worried about ever seeing Nora, Rox, or his parents again.
Get it together!
With shaking hands, he touched the blasters tucked into the back of his waistband and reminded himself he wasn’t alone. Parker and eighteen masons were with him. Everyone carried blasters. His focus shifted back onto the mission.
The last thing Killgeek wanted was a shootout at the O.K. Corral. He had no desire to be a martyr. Think!
He needed a plan, quick!
A Zepar officer pushed Jayden, Parker, and the other mason rebels into position on a small stage in the middle of the atrium briefing set. The boys stood shoulder-to-shoulder. Cameras floated all around.
Little did the shape-shifter know he was pushing around Spring Tide Masons, Jayden thought. But the alien jerk would find out soon.
The Zepar continued. “When camera red lights are on, we broadcast live,” said the officer with an impatient edge to his voice. “Smile. Say nothing. If you disobey, you die after briefing.”
Jayden figured Nuk’ana’s briefings were probably an opportunity for Zepar officers like him to meet and greet their mass murderer boss.
“Stand at attention,” the Zepar continued. “Prepare for inspection.”
All of the disguised masons with Jayden and Parker stood on red painted X s on the floor. They had been arranged in a half circle. All the masons appeared calm and cool. No one said a word. Parker didn’t even look nervous.
Jayden stood close to the center.
It was a perfect spot, but he still needed a plan. How am I going to tell two galaxies’ worth of people that Nuk’ana is deceiving them? he wondered. Who would believe him? How would he avoid getting zapped? And keeping the masons with him safe? His head spun.
Jazu and Shazu arrived. The Zepar officer greeted Nuk’ana’s left and right, and then followed behind the two weird-looking aliens.
Jazu strutted his short body, moving his pasty face close to each of the masons as though his vision were failing. Shazu followed him and smacked her bright red lips, sounding as though she were collecting spit for a lugee. She pushed and patted her red hair, probably checking that it was still piled high.
Leader Nuk’ana’s left and right inspected each of the disguised masons, flicking their forked-whip tongues while making last minute adjustments to the Space Command uniforms. The leader’s assistants straightened collars and applied white powder to the mason’s faces, presumably for the camera.
Jazu stopped in front of Jayden, narrowed his eyes, and looked him up and down, sniffing the air as if he were trying to smell a Spring Tide Mason. Shazu pushed Jazu aside and hit Jayden’s face with a pad of powder.
He nearly choked in the cloud of white make-up.
As Jazu and Shazu walked away, they said something in a weird language that didn’t translate. Did they recognize us? he wondered.
A moment later, Jayden relaxed when the two aliens didn’t turn back, and the Zepar officer ignored them.
A gong echoed throughout the level.
Jazu and Shazu clicked their heels and stood at attention in front of the disguised masons. A large, red X
marked the center where Nuk’ana would stand, slightly in front of Jazu and Shazu.
The entire group faced outward toward the network of hovering cameras. Twenty more Zepar aliens shimmered and appeared, carrying handheld weapons. They all approached the briefing set and spread out around the perimeter. As they dispersed, Leader Nuk’ana shimmered, then took form in the middle, near his assigned red X.
Nuk’ana had arrived—live and in person. He wore a long, gold robe and brown leather boots. Heavy silver chains hung around his thick neck. The leader puffed on a smoking stick. He let out a long exhale, and then tossed the stick to a nearby Zepar. The Zepar caught the hot end and made a face, but he didn’t make a sound.
This time Jayden watched as a column of smoke continued upward to the ceiling. He smelled tobacco too.
Both were good signs that this Leader Nuk’ana wasn’t a hologram. Game on!
Jayden gazed at the back of Nuk’ana’s gold robe and up at the hovering cameras and bright lights as he still struggled to come up with a plan. He reflected on all that they’d endured since he’d gotten onto that first UFO.
Lorcan: killed saving boys like him. Two of Jayden’s robo pod clan, Zebraguts and Knifetango: captured by the Atilla. Parker: captured and beat up. The Milky Way is full of alien life. Space Command and the Zepar bullies.
Ruthless Leader Nuk’ana and Ga technology.
Parker, Nora, BBgun, Cleo, their parents, and the masons were all counting on him. He knew why he was there in the middle of a Zepar army ready to shoot off his rear end and turn him into BBQ. But what he was going to do was still a mystery.
The Zepar officer who’d led them to the briefing hugged Leader Nuk’ana, then kissed him on both cheeks.
Gross. Jayden glared at the murderer, and then forced himself to calm down. Too much was at stake to let emotions take over.
It took a moment, but his pulse rate slowed. He watched as the Zepar commander took his position on the red X in the center of the group. Welcome, buzzard.
Show time! Jayden realized the setting would appear beautiful to those watching the briefing. All the weapon-carrying Zepar aliens had taken up positions out of camera shot. Viewers would see luscious green plants, Jazu and Shazu, and a group of adoring Space Command recruits. No alien watching the broadcast would know how staged the scene was or know anything about the enslaved lint roller alien workers and their children.
Jayden knew massive changes were needed throughout the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies to free kids and their parents, get rid of disgusting execution events, and more. And he knew the first change had to be the permanent retirement of Leader Nuk’ana.
The Zepar officer stepped out of camera range and said, “We are live in three, two, one . . .” The shape-shifter pointed at Nuk’ana with a long claw. Red lights flashed on around each of the hovering cameras.
Nuk’ana spread his arms and raised his voice. “Greetings, loyal citizens. We have excellent news that the war effort continues to go well for Space Command. I hope you enjoyed the special entertainment we provided at the recent big event. All the mason rebels were quickly captured and executed. How fun was that?”
One of the Zepar pushed a button to play an applause track, and Parker elbowed him. It sounded like a thousand people were in the atrium.
Jayden stayed silent and didn’t react to the elbow jab. He peered at a monitor hologram floating above a Zepar cameraman’s control desk, catching a glimpse of the video being transmitted out to the galaxy. The video stream cut from a live shot of Leader Nuk’ana to video footage from the battle where Lorcan had been fatally injured.
His blood began to boil. Total propaganda!
The live video feed of Leader Nuk’ana resumed. “The Atilla invaders do not stand a chance against the fighting Space Command’s great forces—”
“Liar!” Jayden shouted.
Leader Nuk’ana stiffened.
Jayden’s eyes went wide. Did I really just yell that? Oh man.
None of the other masons moved, obviously watching Jayden for some kind of signal.
Jayden watched the video stream of Nuk’ana in a monitor. The shape-shifter leader tightened both claw hands into fists. His jawline extended and eyes bulged as he glanced over his shoulder at Jayden, Parker, and the other masons. He was pretty sure Nuk’ana had no idea who had spoken up.
Jazu and Shazu searched each mason with their eyes.
Nuk’ana smiled as if he hadn’t heard anything. “I promise the people of the Milky Way and Andromeda we will build a better tomorrow together, a better future, take care of our citizens—”
“Liar!” Jayden shouted again, but this time louder. Yet he still remained frozen at attention as though he hadn’t made a sound. Parker fidgeted next to him and whispered. “This is your plan? Seriously?”
“Hold tight for one more second,” he whispered so only Parker could hear him in the earpiece comm.
Nuk’ana stopped and stared in Jayden’s direction. It was clear to Jayden, Nuk’ana was narrowing in on him. It was time to act.
Here goes nothing.
“Now!” Jayden jumped toward Nuk’ana and felt as though he was jumping into a pool of hungry sharks.
He pulled out a blaster weapon then pointed it straight at Nuk’ana’s face. He grabbed a second blaster with his other hand and pointed it at Jazu.
Parker lunged forward and forced one blaster against Jazu’s back and another against Shazu. “Move and you’re all dust!”
With Parker covering him, Jayden put Nuk’ana in a chokehold and held a blaster to the leader’s cheek. He felt the leader’s jaw extend and contract.
A handful of other masons replaced the Zepar, who were operating the cameras at the control desks. And the rest of the masons raised their weapons at the Zepar army aliens surrounding them.
“It would seem you have my attention now, Earth Boy,” Nuk’ana whispered to Jayden. Then Leader Nuk’ana raised his voice and projected it toward the cameras. “You see? These are the rebels I warned you of.
We thought we had killed them all, but these are the last. Once we execute them—”
“Silence!” Jayden thundered. The volume and deepness of his voice surprised even him. “Shut your disgusting pie hole, you alien buzzard.” Now what? He reflected on the energy being’s words: “Reveal you will the truth at last, tell all you
can, quantum fast.”
It seemed like he was telling the intergalactic audience “quantum fast” using Nuk’ana’s broadcast, but what else did that pixie say? He tried to remember, his pulse pounding in his ears as the masons around him took control of the hovering cameras.
The masons repositioned the cameras above Jayden and Nuk’ana and kept the video stream live.
“People of the Milky Way and people of Andromeda,” Jayden said. “You’ve been deceived. This Zepar calls himself a leader, but he’s the one who started this ridiculous war.”
Nuk’ana tried to jerk out of Jayden’s grip, but Jayden shoved his weapon harder into Nuk’ana’s cheek.
“Don’t even think about shape-shifting,” he whispered.
Jayden continued. “The leader is the one who murdered innocents. He sends teens and kids like us to war.
Nuk’ana murdered Atilla so he could take over their galaxy too. He’s a deceiver.”
“Turn the cameras off!” Nuk’ana shouted. His reptile eyes went wide when he glanced up and realized masons had taken over the hovering cameras.
“See,” Jayden said. “Nuk’ana controls everything. He’s a faker, a liar, and a jerk.”
Nuk’ana forced a smile. “Prepare to die, Earth child,” he whispered.
The trees around the stage rustled and fell backward. Multi-level platforms full of Zepar reinforcements rose from below the floor. Jayden saw laser light from gun sights on his chest from new weapons. Zepar took control of the cameras.
Uh oh, he thought.
“Drop your weapons, terrorists!” Leader Nuk’ana said. “Your executioners have arrived.”
Jayden looked around and realized he was sunk. Even if he started a firefight, they’d all end up as stardust.
He dropped both blasters.
“Masons,” Jayden said. “Drop your weapons.”
Parker dropped his blasters along with the other masons.
“Keep the video streaming.” Nuk’ana began to circle him. “On your knees, Earth boy.”
Jayden complied.
“This is the boy who leads the rebels? An Earth baby?” Nuk’ana said, smirking. “You expect our great ancient civilization to believe an Earth boy over me, the great leader of leaders?” He turned to a Zepar officer.