by Brian Dorsey
“Where do you think you are going, Colonel?” asked Mori, her sword resting against Stone’s chest. He looked down the long blade into those damn green eyes. Looking closer, he also saw the red lines quickly growing darker in the white of her eyes as the remaining oxygen in the space was being consumed by fires and the vacuum of space.
“Looks like…my friends…have come for me,” huffed Stone. “You can’t escape…escape the reach of the Xen military.”
“Apparently a few of your long-range fighters made their way through our lines and got in a lucky shot. They may have destroyed this ship but our fighters are already on their tail. They…” She took a deep breath and put out an arm to balance herself against the cobwebs forming in her head. “…will not escape.”
The ship shuddered again with another explosion. Both Stone and Mori quickly regained their balance, neither one gaining an advantage. He saw Mori glance into the escape pod. Stone shifted his stance to allow him to look into the pod and still have an eye on his opponent.
“I…I am taking this pod,” stated Stone.
“Both of us are, Colonel,” replied Mori. “You’re too valuable of an intelligence asset to leave here to die.”
Another explosion. This time Stone’s weight shifted to his injured leg and he stumbled. Mori rapidly capitalized, striking his wounded shoulder with the hilt of her sword.
He recoiled in pain. As he did, she knocked the pistol from his hand and swept his wounded leg, bringing him to the ground. Attempting to prop himself up, he was stopped by the pressure of Mori’s sword against his throat.
“Just finish it,” Stone said to her as his focus began to fade and tunnel vision set in.
“You’re not getting off that easy, Colonel,” said Mori as she looked down at Stone. “Give me your arms,” she ordered.
Defeated and injured, Stone complied and Mori quickly tied Stone’s hands together. Growing weaker, it was all she could do to lift Stone from the deck.
“Get…in…the…pod,” she panted, motioning toward the open hatch with the pistol.
“Not…going to be…easy,” stammered Stone as he looked into pod. The last explosion had sent a massive metal shard into one of the seats of the two-man escape pod.
“Damn it!” grumbled Mori as she looked around the compartment at the expended escape pods. Stone could feel her start to stumble, then regain her balance as she held his arm.
After a slight pause and a heavy sigh, she spoke.
“I said g…get in the p…pod,” she repeated.
“Where?” asked Stone, now leaning against the pod. “…only holds…one now.”
“Both fit in the starboard…” Mori closed her eyes for a second to concentrate. “You can either pledge to remain my prisoner until we reach November 5 or die here.”
“I…choose…death…” He was starting to fade.
“Sorry, Colonel,” replied Mori. “Not…today.”
Summoning what strength she had left, she brought the butt of her sword against the back of Stone’s head, knocking him unconscious.
Stone was just coming to as Mori closed the hatch.
“What the hell are you doing?” he demanded as he tried in vain to free himself. Mori had secured Stone in the undamaged hatch and was sitting on top of him.
“Shut up and hold on,” she said as she reached for the ejection button.
They were thrown forward and then back into the seat as the thrusters launched the pod away from the crumbling spacecraft. The pod was only a few seconds free from the spacecraft when it finally exploded, showering the pod with shrapnel and causing it to tumble through space. The blast threw Mori’s body against Stone’s shoulder. As the pain shot through his body he felt his head grow heavy. His vision blurred and he lost consciousness again.
His shoulder was still throbbing when he again opened his eyes.
He started to move but felt Mori’s weight on him in the confined space. She was fidgeting about and almost yelling. “Any Terillian ship, this is escape pod 245 from sloop Lodgehouse authentication code Golf-Delta-Romeo-3, any Terillian ship respond,” pleaded Mori over the long-range communicator. “My navigation computer is damaged. Current trajectory indicates landing on planet November 14. Any Terillian ship, this is escape pod 245 from ….”
Stone contemplated resistance but he did not have the advantage. He was injured and weakened. He determined it better to bide his time and try to lull his enemy into complacency. “The navigation system is damaged?” asked Stone.
“Yes and the damn impulse engine is damaged as well. It lasted long enough to set us on a trajectory to the closest inhabitable planet. Hopefully there will be enough left to control the landing.”
“November 14?”
“Yes, I don’t know anything about it other than the data logs say it’s populated only by a few isolated settlements.”
As Mori spoke, Stone began to feel the pressure of her body on his. She was thin and muscular, but proportioned in just the right places. Her bottom squirming around in his lap did not help either. He tried to control himself, but his body reacted. “Could you stop moving around so much? It’s bothering my leg,” said a frustrated and embarrassed Stone, trying to recover and hoping she hadn’t noticed his arousal.
“Sorry. I’ll try to be more careful but in these close quarters we both may have to deal with your leg until we can land and get out of here,” she quipped.
***
After a few awkward and uncomfortable hours, November 14 came into sight. A tiny planet in a forgotten sector, it had no strategic importance nor did it offer much in the way of resources.
“Let’s just hope there’s enough juice left in this S.O.B to put her down safely,” said Mori as she concentrated on the controls.
“Watch your horizon,” warned Stone as they entered the atmosphere.
“Don’t need any backseat driving,” grumbled Mori as she worked to control the damaged pod as it sped through the sky.
Mori peered out the viewing window as the pod rocketed over the terrain. Massive evergreens covered the mountainous land below. The terrain seemed to continue forever, the forest and mountains only broken occasionally by a raging valley river and small openings where the blanket of trees gave way to fields of wildflowers and a few cultivated fields.
Mori worked feverishly at the controls as the pod began to steady itself.
Stone could not help but be impressed with her skill.
“The thrusters seem to be holding out,” she reported. “That looks like a decent spot to put her down over there,” said Mori as she brought the pod to a hover just above a clearing in a patch of evergreen trees. “I guess this will do,” she said, as she set the pod down as if she was returning home from an afternoon drive.
As soon as the pod settled gently to the ground, Mori quickly jumped from the module. In her haste she forgot about Stone’s injuries.
“Son of a bitch!” shouted Stone.
“Sorry,” she replied as she quickly turned back toward him, her pistol at her side. “Can you get out?”
Taking a deep breath, Stone placed his bound hands on the lip of the hatch and tried to pull himself out. “Damn it,” Stone cried.
Seeing him struggle, Mori reached into the pod to help him out. “A little help,” she grunted as they both struggled to hoist him from the pod.
Finally, Stone was on his feet. As soon as he had his footing, he quickly landed his elbow against her neck and reached for her sword. The sword slid out of its sheath as she fell to the ground. Stone quickly grabbed the sword and stepped toward her placing the sword to her cheek.
“You bastard!” she yelled.
“I believe circumstances have changed,” he said, clearly proud of his victory.
“Not really,” replied Mori. “Put the sword down or I’ll fire.” With a smile, Mori pressed the barrel of her pistol into Stone’s groin. “Since you apparently have trouble controlling it, perhaps I should just remove it for you,” she added.
Checkmate.
Stone stared intently at Mori as he contemplated his next move.
“You can put down the sword in your hand and keep the one…”
“If you did fire, I am still close enough to plunge this sword into your throat,” he replied.
“It seems like we’re going to have to come to some agreement. We can kill each other or can both survive.”
“I’m listening,” grunted Stone, the pain becoming more intense.
“There is no use in us waging war with each other as we’re the only two combatants on this planet. I suggest we work together to survive until we’re found. At that point either one will become the other’s prisoner or die.”
“As soon as we find a way off this rock, then all bets are off?” asked Stone.
“Agreed, we will try to kill each other then,” replied Mori.
Lowering the sword to his side, Stone conceded. “Agreed.”
As Mori lowered her pistol, Stone dropped the sword and collapsed onto his good knee.
Mori stood over him, her pistol by her side. He was at her mercy and they both knew it. “You can finish it now,” said Stone.
Mori paused, conflicted with her promise and self-preservation. After what seemed an eternity, she holstered her pistol. “My people keep our oaths, Colonel,” replied Mori. “I will honor our agreement,” she continued as she leaned over Stone. “Stay there, Colonel. I will get the medipack from the pod.”
Chapter 10
Stone spent the next four days in a state of semi-consciousness as the medicines did their work.
He had brokered a good deal with the Terillian captain. She built a makeshift hut, tended to his wounds, and once the ready-meals were gone, she hunted for food. During his small periods of consciousness, Stone could remember Mori burning incense, singing rhythmic songs, and rubbing some type of substance on his wounds.
On the evening of the fourth day, Stone woke in the middle of his old familiar dream.
“Who’s Emily?” asked Mori as she sat a few feet away eating a soup she had just made from the yesterday’s kill. “And you mentioned Astra back on the ship. You must have been pretty busy, Colonel. Sounds like you had problems controlling your leg well before the escape pod,” she said jokingly.
“No…Astra is…it’s complicated.”
“I’m sure it is, Colonel,” she smiled.
“And Emily Martin was one of my company commanders,” continued Stone. “She is a Guardsman?” asked Mori. “It must be…she is known among the Rangers.”
“She was?” asked Stone.
“She has a reputation as a fierce warrior.”
“She was…” He paused, unable to believe Martin was actually gone. “I can remember on Golf 2…” He paused, concerned about telling too much.
“It’s all right, Colonel,” said Mori. “I don’t think you’re going to give away any state secrets.”
“She was killed on Juliet 3, when you…” He paused. “…in the attack. She was one of the finest warriors I have ever known.”
“I did not know…I am truly sorry, Colonel,” offered Mori. “All of your warriors performed bravely and brought honor to themselves and their unit. In our culture, the status of a warrior is measured by the caliber of our enemy and your men bring honor to both your people and the many lodges of our nations. Especially your Martin.”
“No need to apologize, Captain. Her death was not the fault of any Terillian. Her death is on the hands of a coward and a fool that will someday pay for his actions.”
“You Hanmani are a complicated civilization.”
“Why is it that you call us that?” asked Stone.
“You will not believe it,” replied Mori.
“Try me.”
“Fine.” Mori paused to take a deep breath. “Alpha Humana is the lost colony. Generations ago, your planet was the farthest humanoid settlement of our Confederation. It was colonized by bands from the Akota and a clan from the Iroqua—that is until you fell under control of the Xen. Contact was lost and expeditions failed to return…your people have lost their way and do not understand who you are…Hanmani is our word for lost. The next contact we had with your people was when we were attacked during the First Tero-Xen war with Humani fighting for their Xen masters.”
“Bullshit,” replied Stone.
“You asked where the name comes from and I told you. If you don’t like the answer, it’s not my problem,” stated Mori abruptly.
“That’s just wrong. Your ancestors have definitely done an excellent job of indoctrinating you into the lie. Our planet was devastated by religious wars and finally by the biological, chemical, and nuclear war between the Eastern and Western Alliances. Only a few hardened military bases survived. Other than that, it was anarchy…until the Xen arrived. A Xen scout ship crash-landed on Alpha Humana, and the recovery effort brought our two species into contact. The Xen took us under their wing and helped restore us and build a new, better civilization—one built on order, structure, and devoid of any religious nonsense that almost destroyed our planet.”
“I do not believe I am the one that has been deceived, Colonel.”
Mori paused and took a deep breath, her lips curling in slightly on themselves. “I don’t think this is going to get us anywhere,” she continued. “Why don’t you have some soup? You need to get your strength back and start pulling your weight around here.”
Stone knew she was right. He had done little but eat and sleep since their arrival.
“Thank you, Captain,” he said as he reached for the bowl of soup.
“You’re welcome, Colonel. And don’t worry; in a few more days you’re gonna earn your keep.”
***
Martin gently moved a small branch away from her face and peered through the dense underbrush into the small clearing where a Terillian transport had landed. Her eyes took longer than normal to focus. Although she had been able to stop her bleeding and slow the rate of infection from her wounds, the painkillers, her injuries, and a slowly progressing fever were starting to take their toll. She needed to find a way back to Humani territory soon—and hopefully this was her chance.
A small squad of Terillians had spread out from the transport, no-doubt collecting remains from the battle that had raged weeks ago.
Martin quickly sized up the situation; the pilot and navigator were probably still onboard, but otherwise only one soldier remained at the hatch as a guard. As Martin looked on, the soldier paced back and forth around the perimeter of the transport. After a few minutes, the guard propped his rifle against the hull of the transport and walked to a felled tree about five meters from the transport and his weapon. Leaning against the tree, the guard reached into one of his trouser pockets and pulled out a digital pad; he was instantly lost in whatever viewing item he had selected.
She uncapped the last of her painkillers. She closed her eyes and grimaced as she jabbed the injector into her thigh. After a slow, quiet, long breath, Martin deliberately unsheathed the Terillian sword she had taken from the battlefield and laid it beside her knee. After inhaling a big breath, she took the sword in her left hand. Martin balanced herself on her left hand and knee as she brought her right leg up and coiled her body for the rush toward the transport.
Focusing on the guard, she sprung from the cover of the brush. The pain from her wounds was excruciating, but there was no choice but to push on. Her legs were still capable, however, and she had covered half the distance before the guard saw her. At a full sprint, Martin’s vision tunneled as she zeroed in on her target. Jolted from his distraction, the guard quickly stood erect as he realized he was under attack.
Martin pressed on, grunting against the pain in her gut and shoulder as she pushed her body forward. Martin looked directly at the guard as she sprinted toward him. She could see the shock and fear on his face as he tried to steady himself to react. Finally taking action, the guard made a quick move for his rifle.
By the time the guard grabbed the rifl
e and swung it upwards toward her, Martin was on him. Launching her body into his torso, her crashed into his chest. The blow knocked the guard against the hull of the transport and caused him to drop his rifle.
Martin let out a groan as the pain from the impact sent a shock wave of agony through her body. Staggered from the pain, she fell backwards. As she fell, Martin slashed the guard across the abdomen with her sword. Letting out a moan, the guard fell to his knees grasping at his stomach.
Quickly rising to her own knees, Martin thrust the sword forward with all of her strength. The blade passed through the chest of the guard and stopped with a metallic thud as it impacted the hull of the transport.
She looked into the eyes of the guard. She could see that last spark fade and his eyes freeze into that too-familiar gaze of death. Grimacing as she rose to her feet, Martin pressed her right foot against the guard’s shoulder and with her left hand withdrew the sword from his body. As she did, the man’s lifeless body slumped backwards and crumbled to the ground.
Martin leaned against the hull and breathed heavily as she fought to gain control of the pain. After a few seconds she stood up straight, sheathed her sword, and withdrew the pistol from her waistband. The confines of the transport would muffle the sound of the gunshots when Martin moved against the crew.
“Time to get off this shithole,” Martin said out loud as she stepped through the hatch of the transport.
***
“Don’t miss him, Colonel,” whispered Mori.
“I don’t miss,” Stone replied. He exhaled slowly and pulled the trigger.
A single shot rang out across the valley.
Four hundred meters away a large deer crumpled to the ground.
“Told you,” smiled Stone as he stood up from behind the felled tree he had used as a rest.
“I figured you could hit it from there,” quipped Mori. “Just hope you didn’t mess up the meat.”
“Let’s go see,” replied Stone confidently as he shouldered the weapon and headed toward his kill with Mori at his side.