“You are trouble, female.” Tytus shook his head in disbelief and pride.
“Is this the final product?” June asked as she looked at the powdered dulcis nectar.
“Yes. Give it a taste. We are the largest producer of dulcis in several provinces,” Sundara explained.
Tytus’ handheld pinged and he looked to see it was Ashtoret hailing him.
“Tytus are you still at the plantation?” Ashtoret asked, sounding harried.
“Yes. What is going on?” Tytus inquired, as he stepped away from the others.
“The camp was attacked this morning. A few guards and male Toufik were killed.”
“Son of a metcor,” Tytus growled.
“We barely fended off the smugglers. I must warn you, they retreated onto the plantation,” Ashtoret reported.
“When?” Tytus demanded.
“Within the hour. I don’t know what you’ve discovered there, but you are in danger. The smugglers are obviously familiar with the winding trails among the cane fields.”
“Did you capture any of them?” Tytus growled as he quickly went to June’s side.
“We tried, but were forced to kill two that we cornered, and a third took his own life.”
“Send me any images or communications you captured,” Tytus demanded.
“Will do. I’m trying to regroup, to pursue, but my manx is better trained than half these guards,” Ashtoret complained, before cutting out.
Tytus tugged June aside.
“What’s up?” June asked.
“The camp was attacked,” Tytus said under his breath.
“No!”
“Ashtoret said the Cadi smugglers fled onto the plantation, and seemed to know the property.” Tytus eyed Sundara and Metcor as he relayed the information to June. “Something is wrong with this situation.”
“I really believed Sundara, Metcor and Stigand weren’t involved.” June frowned. “What should we do?”
As Tytus debated how to approach the situation, his handheld pinged.
“Ashtoret sent images of the dead smugglers.”
“Ew, gross,” June exclaimed loudly when she glanced at the gory sight on the small screen.
“Is everything okay?” Sundara asked.
“Not really,” Tytus replied. “We’ve got a serious problem.”
Tytus studied the images on his phone, debating if he should show it to Sundara and Metcor. As he looked at the dead smugglers, he noticed something was off. The males were dressed like laborers, but their garb wasn’t the same uniform the plantation workers were wearing.
“Sundara,” Stigand interrupted, as he staggered into the warehouse holding his side.
Tytus stared in surprise at the young Cadi warrior. Blood was oozing through his fingers.
“Stigand,” Sundara cried as she ran to him.
“We’re under attack,” the young warrior gasped.
This unfortunately confirmed Tytus’ suspicion. The smugglers weren’t from the plantation, which was good. Similar to June, he was starting to like his hosts. The smugglers were using the cane fields as cover, going so far as dressing like laborers to blend in.
“How many?” Tytus asked.
“At least a dozen, armed with disrupters,” Stigand choked as he slumped to the floor.
Tytus had only seen half as many Cadi males on the plantation. None of them were armed, nor did they look like they had more than basic training. The Toufik could fight, but again they weren’t armed, and many them were females with youth.
“This isn’t good,” Tytus growled as he pulled his disrupter from its holster. “Do you have any arms?”
“Not that we carry around,” Metcor signed.
“Great. I’m the only one armed,” Tytus snarled. “Females stay in here with Stigand,” Tytus insisted as he moved to the warehouse door.
Tytus saw one of the smugglers approaching, as he peered out.
“Come out, Stigand,” the smuggler yelled as he got closer.
“I will go out and tell them he is injured. They won’t suspect me of anything,” Metcor gestured.
“No,” Sundara cried. She released her brother and grasped Metcor. “They don’t care anything about you. They’ll kill you if you get in their way.”
“Take me with you,” Stigand gasped. “They don’t need to know anyone else is in here.”
“No. They already tried to kill you, they’ll only finish the job,” Sundara sobbed.
“You shouldn’t move,” June said to Stigand, as she put pressure on his wound.
They didn’t have time for this back and forth. Tytus jogged over to June.
“Here is my disrupter. You’ve seen how to use it, right?”
“Yes,” June nodded.
“Take my handheld. It is set to hail Ashtoret. When Metcor and I get outside, swipe the pad and tell him what’s is going on.”
“Okay,” June swallowed, her eyes filling with tears.
“Put this on,” Metcor gestured as he handed Tytus a plantation uniform. “They will think you’re a worker. When we get out there you should speak.”
Tytus quickly threw on the garb, then he and Metcor headed for the door, before the smuggler decided to barge in.
“We’re coming out,” Tytus yelled.
Metcor hunched his shoulders, making him appear shorter and subdued, then cracked open the warehouse door and shuffled out.
Tytus glanced at June. Tears spilled from her large dark eyes, and her chin quivered.
“Love you,” Tytus mouthed.
“I love you too,” June whispered.
Tytus did the hardest thing he’d ever done, when he turned and followed Metcor out the door.
Kali please watch over her, Tytus prayed as he met the smuggler, his hands held high.
“Stigand is…” Tytus didn’t finish, instead he just shook his head, implying Stigand was mortally wounded.
“Come on,” the smuggler growled, then shoved Tytus and Metcor towards the center of the compound.
“What is going on?” Tytus asked, attempting to sound duly cowed.
“Just move.”
Tytus surveyed the smugglers herding people from various directions towards the central courtyard.
“These men already killed several people at the camp. We need a plan, before anyone does something that might get them killed,” he subtly signed to Metcor.
Metcor stealthily moved through the group, covertly passing the word about how dangerous the smugglers were. Tytus stayed at the edge of the crowd, listening to the males surreptitiously, while he attempted to formulate a plan.
“What’s are your orders, Adeoda,” one smuggler asked another.
Adeoda was apparently the leader of this band of criminals. The male wore his hair like the Scelus Cadi had during the war, with the teeth of his enemy woven into his braids. From his aggressive stance, Tytus got the impression the male had enjoyed his days of battle.
“Find their rota and several trailers. We lost the Toufik from the camp, so we’ll take some of these to meet our quota,” Adeoda told his underling. “Where are Stigand and his sister?” Adeoda demanded.
“Stigand is dead or dying in one of the warehouses.”
“I don’t care. Drag his tail out here. I want to have eyes on everyone,” Adeoda growled.
Son of a metcor, Tytus snarled under his breath. Think of something quick.
June
June wanted to collapse in a puddle of tears as the door closed behind Tytus. She was more afraid for Tytus than she had been for herself, when the nasty birds attacked. But now was not the time for water works. Stigand was injured and she had to contact Ashtoret.
“Put pressure on his wound,” June instructed Sundara.
“What are we going to do?”
“For starters, I’m calling Ashtoret.”
June swiped her finger over the screen on the handheld. Ashtoret appeared moments later.
“June?”
“The smugglers attacked the
plantation. I’m holed up with Sundara in a warehouse. Tytus is out there trying to hold off the smugglers,” June quickly told Ashtoret.
“I’ve got your location. We’re on our way.”
“Please hurry,” June said.
June heard Ashtoret yelling at the camp guards to get their act together, as she disconnected.
The band on the handheld was too big to strap to her arm, so she attached the strap around her leg instead, then dropped her skirt back over it.
“Has the bleeding stopped?” June asked.
“No,” Sundara frowned.
Stigand’s condition worried her. He’d passed out, which wasn’t good. They really needed to stop his bleeding.
“Do you have any medical supplies in here?”
“No.”
June glanced at the piled sacks of sugar, racking her brain for something they could do to help Stigand.
“I have an idea,” she exclaimed as she recalled something she’d read. June ran to a partially full bag, and hefted it to where Stigand lay. “Sugar can stop bleeding,” she told Sundara.
Please work, June pleaded as she tore the cloth bag, creating a bandage from the fabric, then grabbed a handful of sugar to apply to Stigand’s wound.
“This looks really bad,” Sundara choked as she helped June.
It took more effort than expected to roll Stigand’s limp body, but finally they got the bandage around his torso. June watched the bandage hoping his blood didn’t seep through. As she glanced at her bloody hands she had to repress a gag.
I hate blood.
“What are we going to do?” Sundara asked.
“Ashtoret is on his way, but we should try to come up with a plan,” June worried her lip.
“I don’t think a single disrupter is going to help us much.”
“Have you shot one of these?” June asked.
“No,” Sundara shook her head.
“Great. What good are we? Tytus should have kept his weapon. Knowing how this thing works and hitting what I’m aiming at, are two different things,” June lamented.
June tucked the disrupter into the back of her waistband, before she accidently hurt one of them.
“We’ll think of a plan,” Sundara said while worriedly stroking Stigand’s brow.
“Maybe I can come up with something. What else do you have around here?”
“Everything it takes to plant and harvest the dulcis; rota, trailers, reapers, shovels, fertilizer, bags, presses,” Sundara nervously rattled off.
June listened as she got up to peek out the window. Before she took two steps, the warehouse door flew open.
“Well, well,” the smuggler said as he looked from Sundara to June. “I found the sister and something else,” the man yelled over his shoulder.
Now would’ve been a good time to pull out the disrupter, June berated herself in disgust as the smuggler grabbed her arm.
The scraggly haired man tugged Sundara to her feet, ignoring Stigand, and yanked them both out of the warehouse. June had to jog behind him to keep up.
All the Toufik and Cadi laborers were corralled into the middle of the compound. June anxiously sought out Tytus. He was quickly heading towards her, from the far edge of the crowd.
“Adeoda, look who was in the warehouse,” the smuggler said to a scarred Cadi man.
The frightening man with long braids looked pleased to see Sundara. When his eyes landed on June, she shivered at his avaricious expression.
“This is unexpected. A human will bring quite a pretty sum,” Adeoda said as he leered at her.
Oh god, June’s eyes widened. He’s going to abduct me along with the Toufik.
“Release the females,” Tytus insisted with a vicious snarl.
The smugglers faced off against him, their fingers poised on the trigger of their guns. Tytus ignored the threat and continued forward.
“Tytus please,” June entreated.
He was going to get himself shot.
“So, the human is yours,” Adeoda growled as he tugged June close, pressing his disrupter into her side. “I would suggest you back up warrior.”
Tytus’ fists clenched, his jaw flexing as he stared down the man holding her. June watched him with mounting concern.
Please Tytus. As long as you’re not dead, there’s a chance to get out of this, June silently pleaded with him to back up.
Metcor stood by Tytus’ looking just as angry about Sundara’s treatment.
“The same goes for you, Toufik,” Adeoda snarled.
When June glanced at Sundara, she was surprised to see the livid expression on her face, instead of the fear she’d shown in the warehouse. Despite the danger, Sundara was pissed.
“Enough of this,” Sundara bellowed indignantly. “Do you have any idea who I am, or who my father was?”
“Yes, I do. But the war is over and the general is dead,” Adeoda replied, looking slightly surprised and mildly amused by her outburst.
“So, I warrant no respect whatsoever? You just come in, shoot my brother, and rob me. Have you no honor?”
“Your brother was foolish. He got himself injured. You have many Toufik here. You can stand to lose a few,” he countered.
“It’s harvest time. I need all of them and more.” Sundara insisted.
“Then I will take mostly the females and youth.”
“And who do you expect to process the cane. I require nimble fingers for that task.”
“You will manage.”
“I don’t guess you plan on sharing the profit once you sell them.” Sundara almost cringed as she said this.
June could tell Sundara was attempting to stall the men, till help arrived. June hoped her ploy worked.
“I might be persuaded to return. What’s in it for me?” Adeoda looked Sundara up and down.
“After a stunt like this. You’re going to have to try harder to earn my favor.” Sundara turned her head away from him in disgust. She played the part of a woman scorned to a tee.
“We’ll see,” Adeoda cast Sundara a wicked grin.
“Do you think you’ll just ride out of here with so many wagons filled with nothing but Toufik?” She gestured at the wagons. “My neighbors will know you’re not going to market. You won’t make it very far.
Adeoda looked at the wagons and huffed.
“Fine, load up the dulcis as well. The Toufik will hide at the interior of the trailers.”
A smuggler pulled June towards a wagon and none too gently shoved her onto it.
“Hold the disrupter on her, so her warrior doesn’t get any ideas. Hurry up. Get the bags loaded,” Adeoda growled impatiently.
June wanted to get close to the edge of the wagon, to pass the disrupter hidden in her waistband to Tytus, but the smuggler gripping her arm didn’t let her move a muscle.
She watched helplessly as Tytus and the others were goaded into loading the hovering wagons with whatever bags were in the closest warehouse. They were cruelly shoved by the smugglers when they didn’t move fast enough. One poor old man was knocked to the ground and was unable to get up.
Each time Tytus hefted a bag onto the bed, he attempted to get close to her, but was brutally kicked back. His lip was split, and blood ran into his eye from a gash on his brow, but the feral look on his face said he wouldn’t be deterred, no matter what they did.
“Please stop,” June sobbed as she watched the abuse.
No sooner was the last bag on, then the rota lurched forward. Tytus made a final attempt to jump aboard, but two smugglers kicked him in the face and chest. June cried in dismay as disrupter blasts struck the dirt around him.
“I’m coming for you,” Tytus yelled as he dodged the gunfire.
June nodded. A lump formed in her throat and her eyes blurred, as she watched Tytus and the estate disappear. Her only solace was that Tytus hadn’t been hit by any of the blasts.
“You can let go of me now,” June insisted with a tug of her arm.
The smuggler released her, and s
he slumped to the floor with the other frightened Toufik. June did her best to ignore the marauding bastards as they discussed how much more money she’d make them at auction.
Minutes passed, then an hour. June stared at the road, but no one came to rescue them. Ashtoret obviously hadn’t arrived at the plantation in time to pursue. She nibbled her lip, trying not to break down in tears again.
He’ll come, she told herself over and over, the further they got from the plantation.
12 Confounding Factors
Cyprian de Praefectus
Cyprian glanced at his handheld when it beeped, and wondered why Ashtoret risked hailing him.
“With the Toufik already in orbit, the ones you have here, and those on the way, that makes a hundred and fifty for the auction,” Mave commented as they started towards the ship hangar on the outskirts of Bremin.
Cyprian glanced back at Vintor, who was escorting Thunder’s clan out of their Zaxes cruiser. Vintor nodded subtly, having also heard the comment about Toufik in orbit, that Mave let slip.
They followed Mave into the hangar, to find a large cruiser that was more than space worthy.
“That’s an impressive vessel,” Cyprian commented. “So, this auction, where is it?”
“Don’t you worry about that,” Mave replied in a patronizing tone.
The general wanted to growl. Cyprian only intended to dangle Thunder and the other Toufik in front of the smuggler, but Mave was tight lipped about even the smallest details. Frustratingly he had to offer up the Toufik, just to get eyes on Mave’s base of operations. Cyprian begrudgingly sympathized with the male. If he was doing some nefarious shit, he’d be slow to trust too.
Now I’m going to have to figure out how to extricate Thunder’s clan. And I don’t even have the coordinates for the damn auction yet. Cyprian closed his eyes in frustration. At least we know Mave’s identity and have confirmation the auction is off-world. That’s as good as admitting he’s working with the Jurou Biljana. Perhaps Tytus can track their vessel. Cyprian attempted to be positive. He wasn’t about to give up yet.
As he panned the hangar, Cyprian noted roughly seventy Toufik packed in cages along the wall. The conditions were deplorable. The place reeked of feces and urine. Cyprian’s hand twitched. He wanted to gut the male in front of him, but held off.
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