by Troy Osgood
“Yes but not just any special forces.” She paused again, taking a deep breath. The words were being forced out of her, like it was something she had not talked or thought about for a long time. “Like you Terrans, we have evolved through the ages. Early Thesans were more primal, animalistic and savage. We had claws, senses that were sharper. Stronger and faster. We were the apex predators and supreme hunters of the jungles.”
Claws? Early Thesans had claws? I thought about Kaylia’s fingernails and how they seemed to grow into claws. I was afraid of where this was going.
“What if we could somehow get back that savagery but with the intelligence our species had now,” Yoterra continued. “It took years but we made it happen. We were able to genetically alter some members of our species. They retained all the knowledge and abilities they had but gained the traits of our ancestors.”
I glanced down at Kaylia, she was focused on Yoterra, listening to every word.
“We unleashed them on the Tiat,” Yoterra said and there was a touch of pride in her voice. “The Wilders inflicted substantial damage to the Tiat war machine, killing many high ranking officers and government officials. After the war they were retired to live out the rest of their days in peace or so we thought and hoped.”
“The Tiat started killing them off,” I reasoned.
It wasn’t a hard assumption to make. The Tiat were unforgiving and even though the war was over, there had been rumors of hit squads roaming the galaxy. A couple of old Terran generals had been killed and these hit squads were rumored to have done it. There was no proof and so no one could do anything. Legally in the galactic sense, the Planetary Council washed their hands of it. But that was okay, we had our own hit squads that got our revenge.
Or so I heard. Wasn’t like I was on one of those squads.
I could see the Tiat doing the same to the Thesans.
“We put the last surviving Wilders into hiding,” Yoterra said continuing the story. She was looking at the dead body now. “Not just from the Tiat but some of our own people. They were ashamed of what we had done, what had needed to be done.”
“Kaylia’s parents?”
I felt the kid stiffen as I asked. Her hands grabbed hold of me tighter. I could feel her trying not to shake.
“They were the last,” Yoterra said and her eyes returned to Kaylia. “Except for their children.”
*****
I had lowered my blaster but kept it in hand, out of the holster. The guards lowered theirs but kept them ready. I concentrated on Yoterra but glanced at the others to make sure there were no sudden moves.
“And Kaylia has the genetic code of these wilders?” I asked though I already knew the answer.
Kaylia let go of me long enough to look at her hand and fingernails. I put my free arm around her shoulder, giving her a reassuring squeeze.
Yoterra saw the two gestures and raised her eyebrows, questioning me. I ignored it.
“We believe so,” came the reply but it was Yoterra’s assistant who answered. “There has been no evidence of it.” He pause and added quietly well looking at Kaylia, “that we know of.”
Silence grew as Yoterra let the information sink in. I glanced down at Kaylia, she looked scared. Very scared. She’d just learned that her parents had been genetically engineered and that changed DNA had been passed down to her. That explained a lot. She was at that age, like Terrans, when the body went through changes. Her’s would be even more severe with this cocktail of crazy DNA inside her.
I sighed. Time for the big question. I squeezed Kaylia tighter.
“Why didn’t the Tiat kill her?”
Again it was the assistant that answered. He was the same height as Yoterra, younger, with brown fur and darker patches. He wore a tailored suit and carried a tablet. He had looked frightened when the shooting had happened but was now composed again.
“We believe they think they can reverse engineer her,” he said in a matter-of-fact tone, like he wasn’t talking about dissecting a kid. I didn’t like him. “So they can find out how the DNA was altered and possibly use that knowledge on themselves.”
The thought of mutant Tiat was pretty damn scary. Terrifying really.
“That’s not going to happen,” I said and held Kaylia tighter. The idea of someone experimenting on her; Thesan, Tiat or Terran; made me very angry.
“No it will not,” Yoterra said, steel in her voice.
Was she concerned with Kaylia or concerned with someone experimenting on Thesans?
I looked down at the body of the Thesan fanatic and then up at Yoterra. She understood what I was getting at.
“I kept her and her family safe and hidden for almost twenty years,” Yoterra began, the steel breaking. “I failed them. I will not fail again.”
I could tell she took it personally. Kaylia’s family had essentially been under Yoterra’s protection and had died. I’d take it personally as well.
“Captain Lancer,” Yoterra said looking directly at me. “Please.”
I holstered my blaster and looked down at Kaylia. She had loosened her grip on me, still holding on with one hand, and had taken a couple steps out from behind me. She was studying Yoterra.
“What’s your history with her,” I asked. “Kaylia said you were her mother’s littermate?”
Yoterra smiled and chuckled. The sound reminded me of a Terran cat’s purr.
“Uhunia was not my littermate in truth,” Yoterra said but looked at Kaylia like family, like an aunt would. “I was responsible for their safety and we became friends over the years, close enough to be littermates. I’ve known Kaylia since she was born.”
I felt Kaylia grab me tighter at the mention of her mother’s name.
“What do you think,” I asked Kaylia looking down at her.
She looked from me to Yoterra and back, slowly nodding. Her hand released me and she took a couple steps forward and then some more. I watched her go and went through a lot of different emotions. This was why I had come to Turesa, to hand her off. But part of me wasn’t sure that I wanted her to go. I’d grown attached to the kid and liked having her onboard the Wind. But this was better. She belonged here and not flying around the galaxy.
Kaylia reached Yoterra and the older woman enveloped her in a hug. That cemented the deal. That was a hug of love. Yoterra really did care for the girl.
With reluctance Yoterra pulled Kaylia out of the hug. She held the girl by the shoulders and smiled.
“It’s good to have you home,” Yoterra said. She turned to the assistant and the guards. “Please take Kaylia inside and summon a medic to check her over.” The Governor was all business again. The assistant walked away, holding an arm around Kaylia to lead her but not touching. One of the guards turned to go with them.
They had gone maybe ten feet when Kaylia turned and ran back. She slammed into me and wrapped her arms around me tightly. I hugged her just as tight. She stepped back and brushed at some tear streaks down her cheeks. I held her shoulders and leaned down to kiss her on the forehead.
“Take care of yourself kiddo.”
You too.
She turned and ran back to join the assistant and guard. They continued walking towards a building further down.
“Thank you,” Yoterra said, turning back to me.
I stared beyond her, watching Kaylia and the other Thesans turn a corner and go behind a hanger. Why were they going that way? The building Yoterra had indicated was further down and completely in my line of sight?
“Please tell me where you found her? We know approximately when the Tiat kidnappers arrived here but have not been able to figure out how they got on planet.”
“She ran into me on CU145792, an asteroid in the Callic Cluster,” I said and paused, taking a step forward. Something was wrong.
“What was..,” Yoterra began and turned to look behind her, hearing the same thing I was now.
Blasters.
CHAPTER NINE
I ran. Fast. I reacted quickly, quicker
than the Thesan guards. I was past Yoterra before she finished her question. I drew my blaster as I went.
One of the guards finally reacted and kept pace alongside me.
We pounded across the metal surface of the ground, booted feet clanging and thumping. I didn’t hear any more blasters which wasn’t good.
The guard got a couple steps on me. He was in shape. I was not. I don’t do much running nowadays. I thought I had managed to give it up since my military days. The hangar building drew closer. There were other Thesans, along with some assorted other beings, stepping out of the hangar and looking confused. They had heard the blasters. They gave us strange looks as we passed. I could see others running towards us, more guards and officials.
Slowing as he rounded the corner, the Thesan held his weapon ready. He disappeared around the corner of the building, between two hangars where I had seen Kaylia go with Yoterra’s assistant and guard. Blaster in hand I turned the corner and stopped.
There was a body on the ground, dark in the shadows of the walls. I thought the worse but forced myself to calm and examine the scene, my spec ops instincts taking over. The body was too long for Kaylia and as I walked closer I could make out the uniform of the guard. The other guard was already down at the far end of the hangar, looking at another body. That one was out in the sun and I could tell instantly that it was not Kaylia.
I stopped at the first body long enough to examine it. The Thesan had a large blaster burn on it’s back, smoke still rising from the wound and sparks in the clothing. Shot in the back.
At the end of the alley, the other body belonged to a technician. Some tools were scattered on the ground and this one had been shot in the front, laying on his back, the wound still smoking.
Must have surprised the assistant.
I knew it was a leap, but the assistant’s body was not here and the guard had been shot in the back. So much for Yoterra being able to trust her people.
Stepping out into the sun I shielded my eyes with my free hand, the light reflecting brightly off the clear water. The guard was a couple steps off in the direction of the city, studying the ground. He turned when heard my footsteps, weapon raised.
“Relax,” I said and he lowered his weapon. “What do you have?”
He stood up and pointed.
“That way.”
“Lead on,” and I motioned him to go, impatient. I knew he’d be the better tracker and I couldn’t hear any footsteps or noises. The big drawback of Kaylia being mute was she couldn’t scream.
I followed the guard at a jog, making our way through the ankle high green grass. The wind blew in off the sea, making the plains wave. The sun hit the back of the hangars, not reflecting as bad as I thought it would. Some kind of non-reflective paint or material. The assistant had dragged Kaylia and she had been struggling. I could start to see patterns in the grass, wide spots that would have been Kaylia fighting against him.
The Thesan hadn’t looked that big or strong, I wondered how he was managing to pull Kaylia after him. I was also wondering why she wasn’t fighting harder. When the Garand had held her, Kaylia had reacted and turned into that savage Wilder form. Why wasn’t she now?
Then it hit me. The assistant knew about her heritage and what it could mean. He had probably drugged her.
Bastard. When I caught him, I wasn’t going to kill him. Not at first. He was going to get hurt but still be able to answer some questions. He wouldn’t be alive long after that.
We passed by two hangars. They couldn’t be that far ahead of us. There was no way the assistant was moving faster than we were. Yeah, he’d had a bit of a head start but we should be catching up. That’s when I heard the whine of thrusters.
Dammit.
The third hangar had a rear door open and we picked up our pace but it wasn’t fast enough.
A small hovercar flew out of the opening, turning towards the city. It was a couple feet off the ground, pushing the grasses aside. Fairly standard model, open top with a windshield on the front, thrusters on the bottom and a larger engine mounted to the back. I couldn’t see Kaylia but could make out the head of the assistant. He looked panicked.
He should be.
There were two others in the car. Taller, thinner and hooded head to toe. One was driving and the other turned to us. Holding a blaster.
I dove to the side, rolling on the ground, as the bolts hit where I had been standing. The Thesan guard , brave but dumb, knelt down and raised his weapon to his shoulder. He fired off a few quick shots, aiming for the cars rear engine. Without that, it would just hover. It was a good idea, but he missed as the car swerved. The attacker fired a couple more shots and the Thesan grunted as a bolt took him in the shoulder. He toppled over.
I watched as the car sped away, cursing. The wind took the attackers hood off and I caught a glimpse of a pale blue face.
Tiat.
*****
“You okay,” I asked as I held a hand out to help the Thesan guard up.
He grunted, cursing which came out as a hiss. Grimacing in pain, he clasped my hand and I pulled him up. His left shoulder hung limp, a blaster scar along the edge. He’d been grazed, which was how he was able to stand, but it still hurt.
We heard running, the sounds of people across the grass. More guards fanned out around us, some looking at me and especially the blaster I still had out, but moving on. I heard the sound of hovercars from the other side of the hangars. Sirens, alarms.
“What happened?”
It was Yoterra. She came running up, more guards surrounding her. These ones wore more armored and had bigger and stronger weapons. I could see another hovercar further back behind her, this one with a mounted weapon. The Thesans were out in force.
Too late.
“Your damned assistant,” I said, holstering my blaster. I turned and looked the way the hovercar had gone. “He took her and met up with some Tiat.”
“Tiat here?” she asked, shocked. “Are you sure?”
“I know what those bastards look like. I caught a look at one.”
“Find them,” she yelled at a guard next to her. I could hear him speaking into some comms system. “Follow me,” she ordered and turned, stalking away.
I followed. I don’t know if she had meant me to or not but there was no way I was sitting this one out.
The Thesans were running all over the place, in and out of the hangars. All armed, all in groups. I saw some storming ships, searching. People were gathered outside on the metal between hangars, looking worried, confused and everything else. I followed behind Yoterra as we headed for a building at the far end.
Where the hangars all had the industrial look, even with the Thesan aesthetic, this building looked more like the rest of the city. Square walls, two stories with the second story not as large as the first, with curved supports at the front. There were smaller curves over some of the windows and the entrance door. It lacked some of the beauty I had glimpsed in the city itself, but there was a charm to it. The door slid open to reveal a hallway. The floor was metal, the walls as well but with wood panels spaced evenly. Dark wood, light wood, some designs.
My mind wasn’t really on the building and the decorations.
I stayed a couple steps behind Yoterra, flanked by a couple guards. I kept expecting them to ask for my weapon but they didn’t. Not like I was going to give it to them. I wasn’t trusting anyone in this place, not anymore.
Down the hallway and to another door. I could see through a long window what looked to be a control room. Monitors, stations and lots of people and activity. Yoterra walked in, a couple of the guards stopping and taking up positions on either side. I moved to follow and one of them stepped in my way.
“Move,” I said. No threat, just a command.
The guard didn’t move. I could feel others behind me. None took a step but they were waiting.
“Out of my way,” I told him calmly.
I tensed, shifting slightly.
“Let him in,”
Yoterra’s voice came from the control room.
The guard moved out of the way. I walked in. The door closed behind me.
Not large, the room was crowded and dominated by one large monitor on the wall. I watched an overhead shot of two figures running towards a hangar and then a hovercar flying out and turning. I saw some scattered blaster fire, one of the figures diving and another getting shot. I really didn’t need to see that part, I had lived it.
The hovercar sped past the spaceport, heading towards the city. It turned as it neared the outskirts, following the edge of the buildings and moving across the plain. The screen flickered and now the hovercar was around the other edge of the city, cutting into the buildings. It was now a live feed we were watching, coming from some satellite in orbit. It was an area of single story large buildings, warehouses. There was generous amounts of space between them, all with the Thesan architecture. The hovercar moved in and out of view as it flew deeper into the buildings. It finally disappeared inside a building in the middle of the cluster.
“Keep surveillance on that building,” one of the Thesans said. He was standing at the rear of the room, in a white uniform. Gray and brown fur. “We’ll lock down flight patterns over that part of the city,” he told Yoterra turning to face her.
“Very good,” she said and nodded to one of the guards. “Captain Hunil, you have your target.”
The Thesan, one of the heavier armored guards saluted and motioned to two of the others.
“I’m coming with you,” I told him. It wasn’t a request.
“You do not need to Captain Lancer,” Yoterra replied.
I just looked at her. Different from my ‘don’t mess with me look’, but along the same lines. This one said ‘don’t bother’ mixed with ‘I’m going no matter what’.
“Very well,” she said with a nod. She studied me for a minute, an odd look, before turning back to the screen.
I followed Hunil out the door where two more guards joined us. We ran down the corridor at a jog, outside and towards a nearby hangar. Running inside I saw a tactical hovercar. I’d seen the style before during some battles alongside the Thesans. It was heavily armored, walls and roof with a weapon mounted to the top. It was a tank. Our small group climbed inside and one of the guards took the controls.