by S. E. Smith
“It rains all but a few days each year,” Kella commented, staring down at the world where she grew up. It looked nothing like the one she sometimes dreamed about. “Even the trees are gray.”
“Lovely. No wonder people grow up there wanting to become killers. You know they have sun lamps for those who could use light therapy. It works wonders,” he replied sarcastically.
“Not everyone wants to be a killer, Ash. We do so out of survival. There are clans on Turbinta. Each clan competes against the others to provide the most skilled assassins,” Kella explained, looking at the world where she was raised through different eyes.
“What happens to those who don’t make the cut?” he asked.
“If they demonstrate a useful skill, they might be spared. If they don’t, they are either left to die or used as a target for training,” she explained. “I was fortunate. I had both the skills and the ability to be a good assassin. Tallei was very pleased with my abilities.”
Ash glanced at her. “But….”
Her lips curved in a rueful smile. “But, I was curious. I loved listening to the customers at Tallei’s bar. She tried to keep me away from them, but it was impossible. She needed my help and I wanted the knowledge they could give me that she refused to share. And I…valued…certain things. I thought I hid that weakness well…but she knew. Still, I excelled in the training and I did what I had to in order to survive. If I had not killed my opponents, they would have killed me,” she said.
“That is one messed-up world,” Ash stated.
Kella shot him an amused look. “You have no idea,” she teased.
“Do you have a reading on the emergency pods?” Ash asked.
“Yes, we will locate the one nearest to us first. It is in the Black Canyon region. It will be dangerous. The canyons are deep and slippery. There are narrow footpaths through them, but they often collapse due to the constant rain. If you fall in the river, you are dead. The runoff from the upper elevations keeps the river’s water level high and fast flowing. The people live in cities carved into the cliffs, much like the Torrians do. It is difficult to see them because they build them behind the massive waterfalls created from the rain,” she explained.
“Is there anything good about this place?” he asked in disbelief.
Kella thought for a moment and shook her head. “No, not that I am aware of,” she replied.
Ash didn’t comment. What the hell could he say? Sounds like the perfect vacation retreat – if you like visiting hell?
Two hours later, Ash decided that this was definitely the way hell would look in real life. His fingers gripped the controls as they cut through the lower atmosphere. Lightning flashed, illuminating tall, black spiraling peaks rising out of dark, ominous canyons. Rivers of water ran off the flat surface above and disappeared into the abyss.
“Where in the hell are we supposed to land?” he asked.
“Over there,” Kella said, nodding to a high plateau.
“Oh, shit,” Ash muttered under his breath.
The area Kella was pointing to was long and flat. The plateau was also very narrow at the base, looking more like a table balanced on a needle. Ash shook his head in wonder. He really hoped to hell that Kella knew what she was doing.
There was a strong crosswind. She came in low along the flat surface before rising up at the last second. Glancing out the front windows, Ash could see the water running through gouges along the surface like rivers. Kella turned so that she was heading into the wind and used the strong current of air to push the freighter back a little to the center of the plateau before she touched down. If she had tried to come in any other way, there was a chance wind would cause the freighter to shift and she would have missed the limited landing space.
“We will need to hurry. The stormy weather is worsening and the waters will rise. The signal is still strong and not moving, which is good. It means it is not in the river. I will need to set the security system. This area is not safe. I do not expect anyone to be here, but I do not want to take a chance on returning only to find the freighter gone,” she said, shutting down the engines.
After unstrapping, they both exited the cockpit. Kella stepped into their room and began picking up the weapons she laid out earlier and concealing them on her body. She picked up a laser pistol, checked it and held it out to Ash.
“You may need this. Shoot anything that comes at you,” she instructed.
He looked up at her startled. “What if it is friendly?” he asked, reaching for the gun.
“Trust me, it won’t be,” she replied. “Do you know how to use that?” she asked quietly.
Ash glanced down at the Staff Kubo gave him. He ran his fingers over the carvings before he added it to the belt Kubo also gave him to carry it. He picked up the belt and wrapped it around his waist.
“I know how to use it,” he promised.
“When we go outside, follow me carefully. The rocks will be slippery and some of them are loose and will slide if you are not careful. The water erodes them,” she instructed.
“How will we get down to the bottom?” he asked, glancing at her.
“Very carefully,” she retorted with a wry grin. “We will not need to go all the way down. The signal I picked up is about two kilometers north of here.”
“Great! Just a walk in the park,” Ash replied.
Kella stopped and stared at him for a moment. “This is not a park like we saw at Kubo’s residence, Ash. This is dangerous,” she warned in a serious voice.
Ash chuckled, leaned forward, and brushed a kiss across her lips. Sometimes she took the things he said very literally. It was times like those that reminded him that he was in an alien world – not that everything else didn’t help.
“I know,” he said.
Minutes later, he was staring out at a very hostile, alien world. They had slipped on weather protective suits and helmets. Kella told him that the suits would keep them warm and dry from the icy wind and rain. The helmets allowed them to communicate and shield them from the driving rain so they could see where they were going.
“You don’t want to walk off the cliff,” she said, her voice echoing clearly in his ear.
Ash walked down the platform after her, bending forward when the wind threatened to knock him off. Once they exited the ship, Kella held up a remote and touched in a command. The platform rose without any issues, sealing the freighter.
“Now what?” Ash asked, turning to look across the landscape.
“Now we hope we don’t die,” she said, turning to begin walking up the steep incline.
It took over two hours to reach the location where the signal was the strongest. The wind and rain had picked up for a brief time, almost blinding them. At one point, Kella insisted that they wait for it to pass. They sought shelter under a low outcropping of rocks. Fortunately, it didn’t last long.
“The weather helps keep other worlds from attacking us,” Kella murmured, staring out at the rain. “I once overheard a customer of Tallei’s say the pirates had a bet going on how long it would take for everyone on this planet to drown.”
Ash chuckled. “I can understand why,” he said.
Kella shook her head. “He would have been better off betting on how long a person would survive on Turbinta at all. The foolish man tried to argue with Tallei about paying for his bill,” she murmured, pausing to turn to look at Ash. “She killed him.”
“Ouch,” Ash replied. “It looks like it is slowing down.”
Kella nodded. She stepped out on the rock, turning when she heard a low rumble. Her eyes widened when she saw a wall of water heading toward them. Twisting around, she placed her hands in the center of Ash’s chest and pushed him back.
“Flash flood!” Kella cried out, pushing them both as far as she could under the rock.
Kella felt Ash’s arms wrap around her and he braced his feet. The wall of water hit the slanted rock, engulfing them on three sides. The sound of it was deafening. Kella pressed her bo
dy against Ash.
The water rose and flooded the black rocks. It swirled greedily around their legs, trying to suck their feet out from under them and plunge them into the rapidly flowing water. Kella felt her feet lifting up and she frantically grabbed for a section of rock behind Ash. Her fear of losing her footing and pulling Ash with her overriding everything else. His arms tightened around her, holding her against him.
“Hold on to me,” he ordered.
“I won’t drag you with me,” she said, digging her fingers into a small crevice and hoping it didn’t give way.
They clung like that for what felt like hours, but was actually mere minutes. As fast as the waters rose, they disappeared. Kella felt the water receding from around her feet and she once again had a firm footing.
“I’ve decided I don’t like this place very much,” Ash stated, slowly releasing her.
Kella released a choked laugh. “It isn’t my favorite place either,” she admitted, turning and attempting to leave the rock again. “Clear.”
Ash jumped down off the rock and reached up to help Kella down. He winked at her when she looked at him in surprise. They both moved toward the edge of the cliff.
“There it is!” Ash exclaimed.
He pointed down to a long, rectangular box sitting precariously on a small shelf extending from the rocks several meters from where they were standing. It was hard to see if there was anyone inside. Large rocks covered the top, probably washed down from a previous flash flood.
“Let’s go,” she said, shrugging off her backpack. She walked over and knelt down. “I will go down and check the capsule.”
Ash placed his hand over hers and shook his head. “No, I will. If anyone is in there and they are alive, I can lift them,” he said.
Kella wanted to argue, but she knew he was right. She nodded and pulled the harness and hoist out before she stood and helped fit it onto Ash. She connected the buckles and pulled a short section of cable out of the front.
“Up, down, start, stop, emergency release. Do you understand? This will anchor you to the top. But be careful. There could be another flash flood. If there is, the water will be the least of your worries. The rocks that come with it are sharp and moving quickly and with enough force that they can pierce the helmets. I will keep an eye out and warn you. I… Ash….” Kella stared up at him. “Be careful… please.”
“Careful is my middle name,” he replied with a wink.
“Really? You have another name?” Kella asked in surprise.
Ash’s chuckle told her that he was just teasing her again. She scowled and walked closer to the edge. Turning, she counted three large steps in, aimed what looked like a miniature harpoon at the ground, and fired. She motioned for him to come closer. Leaning down, she grabbed the end of the cable she had released and attached it to the rod now sticking out of the ground. After testing it, she gave him a nod.
“Up, down, start, stop, and release…,” he repeated.
“Emergency release,” she corrected.
“I’ll see you in a few,” Ash said, walking backwards and releasing the cable.
Kella followed him, amazed at how easy he made descending look. He had released a long section of the cable and allowed it to hang downward. Once he walked backwards off the cliff, he glanced down, then jumped outward, sliding his hands down the cable.
She watched nervously as he worked his way down and over to the capsule. There was a large boulder on top of it. He tried to move it by pushing, but it was just too heavy. She watched him step back for several minutes, study it, pull out the laser pistol, and aim it at the boulder.
The process was slow, but he was able to blast off enough to push the rest from the capsule. He was in the process of pushing the last section off when she felt the ground rumble beneath her feet. She turned, her eyes widening in horror when she saw the wave of water in the distance rushing toward her.
“Ash! Flash flood. You have to get out of there,” she ordered.
“I’m almost done,” he said.
“It’s too late,” she whispered, staring at the rushing wall.
“Get out of there, Kella,” Ash ordered.
Kella was shaking her head in denial, even though she knew that Ash couldn’t see her. This wave was too wide to outrun. Glancing down, she knew there was only one way that either of them would survive.
“It is too wide, I can’t outrun it. I’m coming over the side. Keep the cable taunt,” she said.
“Shit!” Ash’s harsh curse echoed in her ear.
“That is a distinct possibility,” she replied.
It took a second for her meaning to register. It took an additional one for him to realize that she had made a joke when they were both facing almost certain death. His strained chuckle gave her the strength to lay down on the edge and wrap her feet around the cable. It grew taut under her hands and she knew that he was pulling on the other end. Crossing her feet, she allowed the weight of her body to pull her down. She gasped when she felt his hands around her waist.
“We have to get under the ledge,” she said, pulling on his arm.
Ash shook his head. “I have to get Mei out. That is her pod,” he said.
“You don’t have time!” Kella argued, glancing up when small rocks began to rain down on them.
Ash pushed her back under the overhang and turned toward the emergency pod. “I have to,” he replied with a grim expression.
Kella realized he wouldn’t change his mind. She watched him, willing him to hurry. The likelihood of his friend still being alive was remote. He told her that the oxygen was depleted in his own pod and it opened. If this pod’s oxygen was also depleted, there would have been no way for it to open with the size of the boulder on top of it. Whoever this Mei was, he or she would have suffocated. She bit back a growl of frustration when she felt the cliff behind her begin to vibrate violently.
“Ash, you are out of time,” Kella yelled.
Ash swiped a hand across the top, clearing the glass so he could look inside. His head jerked back in horror and he glanced over at her, then looked up. Kella reached for the tether, pulling on it at the same time as Ash rose up on the emergency pod and jumped toward her. A wall of water and debris blocked her view of him. The tether in her hands grew slack before it tightened, almost pulling her out from the protective covering. Tugging on the line, she held her breath, listening for Ash’s breathing.
She jerked back when a large shape suddenly flashed in front of her. A hoarse cry escaped her when a pair of strong arms wrapped around her and she was pushed back against the slick rock. She wrapped her arms around Ash’s waist, holding him to her, crying, and cursing at the same time.
“Damn, but I hate this world,” Ash muttered.
“I’m so sorry, Ash. There was no way, even if your friend could have escaped the pod… few know how to survive here,” Kella murmured, wishing she could touch him.
“She wasn’t in the pod,” he said, glancing over his shoulder at the wall of water.
“But… I saw a body in it. Your face…,” she said in confusion.
Ash turned back to gaze down at her. “There was a man’s body in the pod. I don’t know who it was. From the decomposition of the body, he must have been in it for a while,” he said.
“Then, where is your friend?” she asked.
Ash shook his head. “I don’t know… I don’t know,” he murmured, holding her close.
26
Tallei motioned for the men to place the capsule in the center of the room. When they backed away, she walked around it, studying the markings on the outside. She motioned for one of the men to open the pod.
“Where are the contents?” she demanded, glancing at the empty interior.
One of the men nervously shifted and glanced at the other man. “It was empty. We brought it here just like we found it,” he swore.
Tallei scanned the interior. It looked as if it was stripped of everything useful. If the two men were telling her the t
ruth, then whoever had been inside the pod was still alive… and on Turbinta.
She waved her hand for the man to close the lid. Staring thoughtfully out of the window, a smile curved her lips. She would receive the credits owed to her one way or another.
“Wherever you found the capsule, there will be a stranger to this world nearby. Find this alien and I will double the credits,” she ordered.
The man who spoke before cleared his throat and shot his friend another nervous look. “What does this alien look like?” the man asked.
Tallei turned to look at both men. “Different from any you have seen before. I don’t know what the creature looks like. Find him. If you fail, I will kill you both. Now go!” she ordered.
“Yes, Tallei,” the man mumbled, bowing and jerking his head to the other man to move.
Tallei waited until the men left her bar. She walked over to the container and ran her hand along the top. Her fingernails tapped on the glass, which loudly echoed in the deserted bar.
“Come to me, my pupil. Come. It is time to learn what happens when you disobey your mentor,” Tallei murmured.
General Coleridge Landais looked around the area with revulsion. He lifted his hand to signal the guards with him. Two squadrons moved down the platform and out into the rain.
“You are sure the signal was traced here?” Coleridge asked.
Commander Taug nodded. “Yes, sir,” he replied.
“Find it,” Coleridge ordered.
Commander Taug bowed his head and shouted an order for the men to spread out. Coleridge gazed out over the dark, gloomy gray forest. His lips curled in distaste when the wind shifted and rain dampened his boots. There were two signals during their approach, but one disappeared.
He turned up the collar of the thick coat he wore. The remaining signal was weak. It was possible they could lose it as well. He returned to the interior of the large transport.
Nearly two hours later, he looked up from the report he was reading. Commander Taug stood at attention. Thick, gray mud covered most of the man’s uniform.