by G J Ogden
Liberty had the element of surprise and she used it, throwing the crowbar at the closest guard, then racing towards them. The crowbar struck the guard’s collar bone, and he jolted back, crying out in agony. Fortunately for Liberty, the stricken guard collided into his companion, buying her the precious extra seconds she needed. Drawing the tonfa from her belt, Liberty parried the guard’s flailing attempt to club her with the stock of his SMG, and then spun the tonfa into his face. The guard stumbled back, but Liberty pressed her attack, punching the end of the tonfa into his chest, then striking him across the temple. The guard went down, but Liberty saw the second try to raise his SMG. However, with a cracked collarbone, the man was struggling to hold the weapon with any stability. Liberty switched grips on the tonfa, hooking the guard’s machine gun and dragging it down, before hammering the end of the second tonfa into the bridge of his nose.
The fight was over in a matter of seconds, leaving Liberty breathless and shaky. It was only now that the pain in her thigh started to shoot through her body again. She took the weight off her injured leg. Whether due to adrenalin or the healing accelerants, it was starting to feel much stronger. Then she saw Tobin coming back towards her, with the two people from the end cell. Reaching down, she quickly searched the guard, removing his key fob and throwing it to Tobin.
“Use that to unlock the middle cell,” Liberty called over. “And then try to find us another way out of here.”
Tobin nodded, glancing anxiously at the two unconscious guards, before grabbing the ID fob and running back to the cells. Liberty moved to the second guard and removed his key fob. She then recovered the crowbar that she’d flung at the guard from where it had fallen to rest on the deck. “I hope this works…” she said out loud, running to the door to Werner’s office. She rammed the crowbar underneath the bottom of the door, hoping it would act as a wedge, and delay anyone else from coming through.
Liberty turned back and saw Tobin waving her over. Still breathless, and muscles burning from exertion and nervous energy, she sprinted over to him. “What have you found?” she asked, briefly meeting the terrified, but hopeful eyes of the three other prisoners.
Tobin pointed to a shutter, low on the wall to their side. “This is a trash chute that runs down to level six. We can use it to get out.”
“A trash chute?” said Liberty, unable to hide her disdain. She was beginning to think that fighting their way out through Werner’s office was a preferable option.
“They don’t put actual trash down it,” said a young woman in dirty and torn clothing. She had been one of the prisoners in the far-right cell.
“Then what goes in there?” asked Liberty, though she was hesitant to learn the answer.
The woman forced down a dry swallow, then simply replied, “Bodies.”
Liberty’s eyebrows raced upwards and she looked back at Tobin, but he just shrugged, “I don’t see that we have much of a choice.”
There was the sound of banging from the far end of the room. Someone was trying to force their way through the door Liberty had wedged shut. She looked back at Tobin, then held open the door to the chute. “Seeing as this is your brilliant idea, you can go first…”
CHAPTER 26
The dock master watched Hudson and Morphus return from the adjacent hangar, and his eyes grew wide. It was either the surprise of seeing them still alive, or the sight of Morphus’ shimmering body, or both, but he was clearly in shock.
“Release the docking clamps, we’re leaving,” Hudson called over to the dock master, which only seemed to make him more agitated.
“No, no, you can’t!” he said, scurrying out from behind his counter. “The station is on security lock-down.” He anxiously peered along the arched corridor that led onto the main concourse. “It’s going crazy out there. They’re looking for someone. The Council, I mean.”
Hudson glanced at Morphus, “Our new friends in the other hangar must have been more important than we realized.”
Morphus suddenly flickered, transforming into one of its previous male identities. It then flickered again, and switched back to the woman that Hudson was getting more used to seeing. There was an audible gulp from the dock master.
“The damage to my systems is more extensive than I first thought,” said Morphus. “I must return to where I was created, at the Corporeals' homeworld. There, I can repair myself fully.”
“I’ll come with you,” Hudson began, but Morphus shook its head.
“There is no need,” Morphus replied. “My ship will sustain my systems for long enough to reach the Revocater facility. You must continue the search for the Liberty Devan entity, and for the crystal.”
Hudson turned back to the dock master, “I need those clamps released. Make it happen!”
“I can’t!” protested the dock master. “I can’t override the security lockdown; it’s out of my control.”
Morphus leaned against the counter and rested its palm on the dock master’s datapad. The alien’s hand turned metallic and began to shimmer, and a second later the device lit up. Data cycled across its screen, too fast for Hudson to read, then a succession of powerful thuds rippled across the length of the docking bay.
“The docking clamps in this bay are all now released,” Morphus said. “I have also enabled the docking ramps and airlock pods.”
“But… how?” asked the dock master, staring at Morphus’ shimmering hand as if it was a tarantula, creeping towards him. “What are you?”
“I am French,” said Morphus, completely deadpan, and Hudson winced. “I will get the ships ready to launch,” Morphus continued, turning to Hudson. “When we are free of this station, I will detach and return to the Corporeals' homeworld.”
“Okay, you go. I’ll be there in a minute,” said Hudson, glancing down at the dock master’s datapad, which now appeared to be fully unlocked. “I need to check on something first.”
Morphus nodded and turned to leave, but then Hudson called out to it to stop. “Wait, how will we find each other again?”
“Your vessel was augmented with Revocater technology when I repaired it,” said Morphus. “I will be able to track it, and find you.”
Hudson acknowledged the alien, then watched as Morphus walked back to their conjoined vessels. Far from the agile and fluid movements Hudson was used to seeing, the entity was now walking like a geriatric. He didn’t know if the being felt pain or fear, but it didn’t matter to him. The deep uneasiness Hudson felt at seeing Morphus in distress was difficult to bear. And the fact it had sustained the injuries while saving him made it even harder to swallow.
“Who are you people?” asked the dock master, startling Hudson. “What was that thing?”
Hudson ignored the questions and grabbed the datapad on the counter.
“Hey, you can’t look at that!” the dock master complained, trying to wrestle the device back off Hudson. However, Hudson’s patience had worn thin. He grabbed the dock master’s collar, and hauled him onto the counter top.
“I’m someone you don’t want to piss off, right now,” growled Hudson. It was like he’d switched to his tough guy relic-hunter persona, except this time he wasn’t pretending. Then he pointed through the darkened archway into the adjacent hangar. “If you want to know what happens to people who piss me off, go and take a look in the next room.”
The dock master’s trembling eyes flicked over to the archway, then back to Hudson. Releasing his grasp on his collar, the dock master’s feet slid back to the deck. He made no further complaints.
“The people that the Council traffic through this station, where do they end up?” Hudson asked, as a security guard entered the docking bay and started to look around.
“I honestly don’t know,” said the dock master. “All over the place. I only know that some ship’s captains manage to smuggle a few to safety. But not many are willing risk it; if they get caught, they end up dead.”
“Which captains?” said Hudson, finally feeling encouraged that he
was getting somewhere. “And where do they take them?”
“Look, I already told you I don’t know!” complained the dock master. “Some of the ships arrive from MP space; that’s as much as I can tell you.” Then he pointed to the datapad, “All the ships’ movements are in there. Take it! Maybe you’ll find something.”
Hudson slipped the datapad into his jacket pocket, watching the security guard out of the corner of his eye. The guard seemed to be walking in his direction. Turning sharply, he started heading back towards the Orion, but then he heard a voice calling out.
“Hey, you, stop right there!” the guard yelled. “The station is on lock-down, didn’t you listen?”
Hudson turned around, “Sure, but I’m just going to wait this out on my ship. Besides, it’s not like I can go anywhere with the bay locked down.”
The guard stepped closer. “What’s that you put in your jacket?”
Hudson shrugged, “What’s what?”
“Don’t get smart, asshole,” the guard said, now placing his hand on the grip of his sidearm. “I saw you take something off that counter. Now open your jacket, slowly, and take it out.”
Hudson sighed, and slowly began to open his leather jacket. However, as he did so, he saw a figure crawling out from the archway leading to the second hangar. It was the heavy-set thug he’d clubbed with his pistol earlier.
“Stop him!” the man shouted. His voice was hoarse and croaky, but it still carried across the hangar.
The guard’s head turned on a swivel. He saw the suited thug on the deck, then spun back to Hudson, drawing his weapon. However, Hudson had already reacted, stepping in and driving a thumping right cross into the guard’s jaw. The man toppled over, knocked clean out in one hit.
“Don’t tell me… I’m under arrest,” Hudson said, shaking his throbbing hand. Then he saw more guards gathering outside in the concourse, and he knew he had to move fast. He didn’t want to leave without Liberty, but the truth was he had no idea if she was even on the station. And after his brief visit, he doubted he’d ever be let back on again. He wasn’t giving up, but he needed to find another way to reach her. And maybe the datapad in his pocket would provide the answers.
Hudson turned away from the commotion out in the concourse, and trudged up the rear ramp into the Orion. He felt deflated, but he was far from defeated. Somehow, he’d find Liberty again. He had to, because he didn’t know what he would do without her.
CHAPTER 27
The garbage chute unceremoniously spat Liberty out into a waiting commercial refuse bin. She landed heavily and groaned, brushing some unidentified grime off her jacket. It had been a nightmarish helter-skelter ride, but Liberty was at least grateful that she hadn’t come to rest on top of a dead body.
Tobin helped her out of the bin, and she looked around their new location. It certainly appeared to be a garbage processing facility, though Liberty shuddered to think what actually burned inside the furnace in the far corner.
“This refuse processing facility is on level six,” said Tobin. “If we head out onto the main concourse, we can ride the travellator all the way down to level four.”
Liberty shook her head and pointed to the two disheveled figures in rags. They were a few meters away, and still looked shell-shocked. “We won’t get far with those two dressed like that,” said Liberty. “We need to find them some other clothes, so that they blend in a bit more.”
Tobin stroked the smooth skin on his chin and indicated towards the office. “Maybe we can find some coveralls in there, or in one of the other rooms?”
“Worth a try, why don’t you check it out, while I talk to the others?” shrugged Liberty. Then she scowled, and eyed Tobin more suspiciously. “You seem remarkably calm, considering everything.”
“It’s not the first time I’ve been kidnapped for ransom,” Tobin replied. “But it is the first time I’ve ever escaped. They won’t kill me, though; I’m worth too much alive.”
“How nice for you,” Liberty said, sarcastically. “So, what’s a rich kid doing on a dump like New Providence?” Given the sorts of debauched activities the station seemed famous for, Liberty was eager for an explanation. If Tobin was here for the same reason as most others had been, her opinion of the young man would take a sharp nose-dive.
Tobin smiled and threw his hands out wide, “Looking for adventure of course!”
Liberty wasn’t amused, “This isn’t a joke, Tobin,” she snapped. “A rich kid like you might have a whale of a time in the casinos and brothels, but most people here aren’t so lucky.”
Tobin seemed offended, “Hey, I’m not like that,” he protested. “I was just hoping to find a merc or hunter that would come with me out to the fringe planets. I wanted to see the edge of known space, you know? The final frontier. I hate this crappy station as much as you do.”
Liberty sighed, though she was a little buoyed by Tobin’s response. Yet he was still acting like he was in a video game with multiple lives, and she needed him to sober up, fast. “Look Tobin, you might be worth more alive than dead, but the rest of us aren’t. For the rest of us, this is life and death.”
Tobin nodded and looked much more somber, “Sure, I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking.”
Liberty took a deep breath. As much as Tobin’s privilege irked her, she needed him. “You were thinking well enough to get us down here. Now, find those two some clothes, and think how we can get to level four, without getting caught.”
Tobin nodded again and moved away. Liberty suddenly became aware that the others had been watching and listening.
“What happens now?” asked the young woman in rags who had pointed out the macabre use of the trash chute earlier.
Liberty walked up to them. Somehow, she had inadvertently become the leader of their little escape party. She was way out of her comfort zone, but she also realized she had no choice but to accept the role that had fallen to her.
“What are your names?” Liberty asked, looking at the young woman in rags first.
“Pearl,” said the woman, “and this is my brother, “Kris.”
Liberty then looked to the man who had been in the middle cell. He was older, perhaps similar in age to Liberty, and wearing work overalls.
“I’m Jonas,” he said, sounding a little less rattled than the other two. “Thanks for getting me out of there. I was afraid I was going to end up like Charlie. He was the guy they… you know…”
“I remember,” said Liberty, cutting him off. Seeing the man he’d identified as Charlie getting brutally gunned down would be something she’d never be able to forget.
“Look, I’d love to tell you I have a plan for getting out of here, but the truth is, I’m making this up as we go along.” Liberty saw the heads of Pearl and Kris drop, and so was quick to add, “But, Tobin – the rich kid in the suit – is well connected. If we can get to the dock on level four, he can get us on a ship off this crap heap.”
Tobin came running out of the office with two sets of coveralls. He slung one each to Pearl and Kris. “Sorry if they don’t fit great, but it’s the best I could find.”
“Okay, so the plan is that we move out and head to the main concourse,” said Liberty, as Pearl and Kris pulled the coveralls on over their tattered clothes. “Try to act normal, so don’t rush, or look anyone else in the eye,” Liberty went on. “Take the travellators down to level four, and head for the dock. We’re looking for a Jewel Star Liners freighter or transport ship. Everyone understand?”
The others all nodded, and Liberty turned back to Tobin, shifting the tonfas around to her back, so they looked less conspicuous.
“You’re pretty good with those,” said Tobin, pointing to the weapons. “And you’re pretty good at that too. Motivational speeches, I mean. My mom would like you.”
Liberty frowned. She wasn’t sure if that was intended as genuine praise, or if it was some wildly misjudged attempt to hit on her. “Erm, thanks,” she said, still frowning. “Now, come on rich kid, since you kn
ow this hell hole better than I do, lead the way.”
Tobin led them to the exit and pulled open the door just enough for Liberty to peek through. It led into what appeared to be an office space, which Liberty assumed was probably the administrative section of the facility.
“Alright, rich kid, seeing as you’re dressed for the part, walk out there like you own the place,” said Liberty turning back to Tobin. “We’ll slip straight through, acting like everything is normal.”
Tobin looked at the sign on the wall, which said, ‘Rectekk Waste and Recycling’, and raised his eyebrows. “You know, I might actually own this place.”
Liberty rolled her eyes, “Well, this should be no trouble for you then…” Turning to the others, she added, “Heads up, eyes forward, everyone. Just follow Tobin and act like we’re supposed to be there.”
Liberty took a deep breath, and opened the door fully, following Tobin as he strutted ahead, chest puffed out. Confused eyes followed them from behind computer monitors, but initially no-one spoke up. Then a smartly-dressed woman at a corner desk rose and blocked Tobin’s path.
“Excuse me, just who the hell are you?” she said, immediately going on the offensive.
“Just keep walking…” Liberty muttered to Tobin from behind.
“How dare you, I am Tobin Rand!” said Tobin, indignantly, while brushing past the woman and continuing towards the door. “My associates and I have just completed the inspection of your facility. Terrible! Now, out of my way, before I include your name in my report to the owners!”
Liberty smiled vacantly at the woman and scuttled ahead, pulling open the door that led onto the corridor outside. “After you, sir…” she said to Tobin, who made a swift exit, followed by Jonas, Pearl and Kris, practically at a jog.
“Report me to the owners? I am the owner!” the woman snarled.
Liberty saw Tobin’s face fall, but he recovered well, “Oh, well, in that case, expect my report in the morning!” he called back from the corridor outside. Then Tobin gave a short bow, before slipping out of sight along the corridor. Liberty smiled again at the woman, whose face was red and looked like it was about to explode. “Good afternoon,” she said, trying to mimic Tobin’s genteel accent, before stepping outside and closing the door swiftly behind her.