by Nic Plume
Why me? What is so special about me?
It was a question that kept cropping up since landing on Tinaree.
The sound of the door lock mechanism brought Taylor out of his contemplations. He looked up to see the LEO who had arrested him.
"Your dad is here."
"My dad?" Taylor jumped to his feet. Shit.
"Well, dad isn’t quite the right term." Taylor recognized the second voice before the door had slid open enough to reveal the man. "Guardian is more like it," Juvak said as he stepped into the cell.
He wrung his hands with hunched shoulders, but Taylor could see through the act even before his hard, evaluating gaze hit him, bespeaking the lie of his insecure voice. Taylor was sure that was intentional since Juvak drew out the moment just long enough. It was a message, a warning. Juvak was in control, at least for now, but he needed Taylor’s cooperation. Taylor considered his options, but before he could respond, Juvak turned to the LEO who had raised his eyebrows at Taylor’s reaction.
"We’ve had some differences of opinion lately." Juvak cringed in apology. "You know, growing pains."
He shrugged and looked at the floor, his hands still fiddling with each other. He put forth the perfect picture of a man trying to explain something he was too embarrassed to admit. And the LEO fell for it.
"I have a teenager myself," the LEO nodded with a knowing smile. "They can be a handful."
Juvak glanced at him with a shy smile. "Yeah, they can." He looked at the floor again before snapping his head up with a bright gaze, as if suddenly struck by an idea. "Officer Cameron," he paused as if searching for the right words, "would you mind helping me make a point?"
"Sure." The LEO nodded. "What do you need?"
"Could you please explain what would have happened if Mark was older?" Juvak paused. "Let’s say nineteen or twenty?"
"He would have gone straight to jail," Cameron replied, "and we would’ve had to report him to the Regional Guard."
Juvak nodded his understanding, giving Taylor a poignant look.
"And if his ID had come up as ‘not found’?"
"Not found? Why would it come up ‘not found’?" Cameron frowned.
"Humor me, please, Officer," Juvak appeased. "As I said, I’m trying to make a point."
Cameron studied Juvak, as if evaluating his reply. "All right." Cameron glanced at Taylor before addressing Juvak again. "If he’d been found to be an illegal, meaning that his ID scan had come up empty or as tampered with," he glanced at Taylor with a raised eyebrow, "he would’ve gone straight to the Regional Guard post."
"To be handed to the Traverse?"
"Illegals are considered enemy combatants and to be treated as such." He turned toward Taylor. "Son, tampering with your ID is going to get you into a shitload of trouble neither your Dad, here, nor anybody else would be able to get you out of." He nodded in emphasis. "You don’t touch your ID. Ever. Understood?"
He looked at Taylor expectantly. Beside him, Juvak raised his eyebrows and motioned for Taylor to answer. Surprised to see Juvak use a standard Intergal hand signal, Taylor took another moment before he did.
"Yes, sir," Taylor acknowledged with a curt nod.
Juvak tilted his head, the ends of his mouth twitching with a satisfied smirk that disappeared as soon as Cameron turned to him. A handshake and a few more pleasantries later, the officer left the room. Juvak turned to Taylor, fatherly concern wiped off his face.
"What were you thinking, picking up contraband and bringing it into town?" His body language had shifted, though his tone of voice hadn’t, at least, not until after his wrist comm dinged. He looked at his comm. "Don’t answer that. I might not like to find out how bad a screwup you are." He spoke Trade without a hint of an accent.
He looked back up. "Arrested by a village LEO for possession of military contraband." Juvak snorted. "All that money they spend on your training, and you couldn’t even make it past your first encounter with civilization." He shook his head. "No wonder he said you needed my help."
Taylor frowned. "Who?"
Juvak ignored him. "If you can’t make it through the first pokeydump village, how do you plan on making it into the city?"
"The city?"
"Mannahe. You know, the big collection of buildings crowding the center of the valley. The place Mica is leading you to."
Taylor’s heartbeat flooded his eardrums. He forced it back down and refused to allow his lungs to follow through with its sudden spasm. Taylor was reminded of his first encounter with Juvak and how outclassed he’d felt back then. But he would not, could not allow this old man to keep ripping the footing from underneath him like that.
It was a logical conclusion that their objective was Mannahe since it was their best chance to contact Intergal troops. Mica had been with him when he was arrested, so his name would have been easy to obtain. And that they were using the boy as their guide could also have been a logical deduction—Mica was a local, after all.
Taylor shrugged.
"I guess it’s a good thing I added your ID to the system." Juvak smiled.
Of course. "You expect me to thank you for that?"
"Oh, I don’t know." Juvak folded his arms across his chest. "Where would you prefer to be? Here, or at the Traverse garrison?"
Taylor looked at the door. "Well, that might still be where we’re both heading."
Juvak followed his gaze.
"Nobody is listening. They’re bound by law to allow us our privacy."
"Somebody is always listening, especially in a place like this." Taylor indicated their surroundings.
"This is Tinaree, not Intergal."
"Under Traverse rule," Taylor countered.
Juvak looked at the bunk. "You’d be surprised how much autonomy the Traverse allows its member nations." He said it grudgingly, as if unwilling to admit the statement.
This man makes absolutely no sense. "What do you want?"
"You."
What the fuck? "Why?"
"To keep you out of Traverse hands and get you off this dirtball."
Taylor frowned. "I don’t know you."
"So you keep saying."
"You think I should."
Juvak simply looked at him.
"Why?" Taylor repeated. "What will happen once you get me off-planet?"
Again, Juvak didn’t answer.
Fine. "How are you planning to get me off planet?"
"I’m not."
Fucking bastard.
"You’re contradicting yourself."
"With Intergal in full invasion mode, we’re not going to get off-planet, not with you fighting me every step of the way."
"You expected me to come willingly?"
Juvak obviously did, though he continued to refuse to explain.
This makes no sense. "You’re not Intergal."
"I’m not?" Juvak raised his eyebrow at him.
Finally, a reaction. "You wouldn’t be here alone, undercover, or at least not without identifying yourself."
"I wouldn’t, huh?" Juvak said. "And you’re the expert who knows all of Intergal’s nuances and intentions?"
Taylor’s heartbeat jumped back into his throat like red-hot embers flaring to life and then quieted to near stillness. "Intergal sends in rescue ops to pull its people out of shitholes, not lock them into them." Tightness rolled off his neck like a triggering wave that loosened his compacted muscles and locked joints.
"My actions saved your life and that of your friends," Juvak hissed.
"Your actions castrated our chance to fight and locked us underground to be drugged, tortured, and fucked," Taylor spat as he stepped forward.
Shock flashed across Juvak’s features. Taylor didn’t care. Juvak’s intimidation factor had nullified. He’d take this asshole down and beat him into a pulp. Then it registered that it had been his words, not his actions that had caused Juvak’s reaction. He hesitated as Juvak brought up his arm, his index finger pointing up as if to admonish him while his other h
and motioned the standard sign for ‘surveillance.’
"Watch your temper, boy. Their cameras are still active."
Taylor released his anger in a slow, drawn-out breath.
"Anger is good for a quick, overpowering strike, but bad for a full battle." Juvak spoke calmly.
What, now you’re my fucking teacher? But Taylor knew the truth in those words. He’d heard them often enough—from his mother.
"This isn’t the place for it," Juvak continued. "You have a mission to complete, a team to lead and charges to protect. That, right now, should be your only priority—to get those you’re responsible for through to the other side. You can’t do that if you’re stuck in here. So, play your part."
"Charges?"
"The boys are non-combatants—" Juvak paused as if catching himself. "The cameras showed three teenagers traveling with you," he backtracked. "I’m assuming they’re still with your teammates."
Not a good recovery, old man. And how the hell do you know we’re teammates?
"What do you care what happens to them?"
"They’re innocent kids playing war and you’re dragging them along, straight to the front line." All mockery and superiority had left Juvak’s manner. His voice held true concern. "They might think this is fun, but you know better. You should’ve never allowed them to come along." He paused, his gaze turning fierce.
And so, the table turns. How far are you going to go? "So," Taylor said, "taking payment for medical treatment out of their sperm count is out of the question, then?"
Juvak stared at him, frozen in place.
Come on, react, or give me a fricking sign. This is taking way too long. And he was way too close. Shit.
Juvak exploded into motion. He grabbed Taylor by the collar, slammed him sideways into the wall, and then pinned him with an elbow across the throat.
"Let’s make this clear," he hissed. "Something happens to them, it’s on you and you alone." He paused. "Shit happened to you. I got it. They’ll pay. But this is war. And this is exactly what you were made for. You’ll be all right. Fall back on your training—all of it—and you’ll be fine. But these boys, they won’t be, so it’s on you to make sure they are."
The door slid open and Cameron burst in, followed by three other LEOs. "All right, Dad, that’s enough." They rushed the first few steps but then slowed to a more careful approach.
Juvak held Taylor’s gaze a moment longer before whispering, "Play your part."
He pushed off the wall, raised his hands beside his head, and then turned his head toward the LEOs.
"I’m sorry." The insecure father was back in full effect. "He knows how to push my buttons." His voice quivered. "I didn’t mean to hurt him."
"Let’s step away from him. Nice and slow." Cameron laid a hand on Juvak’s shoulder and guided him into the arms of two of the other LEOs, who led him toward the door. Once Juvak was out of the way, Cameron turned toward Taylor.
"Are you all right?" He reached for Taylor’s left shoulder.
Taylor swiped Cameron’s arm to the side distractedly, his mind still picking apart Juvak’s words. "I’m fine."
Cameron used a roundabout motion to circumvent Taylor’s arm with his hand, grabbed his shoulder, and pushed him back into the wall—forcefully. Taylor reached for Cameron’s forearm, but Cameron was ready for him. He grabbed Taylor’s wrist instead, twisted it out of the way, and shoved his other forearm into Taylor’s chest. Taylor was pinned against the wall again, although this time he could breathe.
"Boy," Cameron admonished, "settle down."
Taylor nodded and spread his arms to his side in surrender.
"Good." Cameron released him. "Now, let me look at your face."
He touched two fingers to the side of Taylor’s chin and gently guided his head to turn. "That looks like a pretty good bruise."
Taylor hadn’t realized that his cheekbone had slammed into the wall. It started throbbing the moment he did. "I’m fine." He lifted his chin from Cameron’s fingers to look at him.
"Is he okay?" Juvak asked from the door. He was resisting the two LEOs guiding him out of the cell. Or at least, resisting how the person he was pretending to be would probably resist. "I didn’t mean to hurt him," he reiterated. "It all happened so fast. And the wall was so much closer than I expected." The words tumbled out of his mouth. "I really didn’t mean for him to hit it."
Bullshit.
"He’s fine," Cameron reassured Juvak. "His ego probably took the bigger beating." He turned and nodded to the door. "You go and get yourself sorted out. It looks like this messed you up more than him."
"Oh, okay." Juvak looked at the LEOs in turn. "I guess I better go, then." He met Taylor’s gaze. "I’ll be waiting. When you’re ready, I’ll pick you up." He winked, turned, and walked out with the two LEOs.
Cameron shook his head and turned back to Taylor. "Sit down. The magistrate isn’t quite ready for you, yet." He looked at Taylor’s cheek again. "You want an ice pack for that?"
Taylor shook his head. "I’m fine."
"Okay." Cameron shrugged. "It’d probably do you good to learn some respect for your dad."
Taylor watched Cameron walk out of the cell. And it would do you good to learn to read people better.
The man had no inkling of how badly Juvak had played him.
17
Revelations
Kaydeen had yet to see anyone following them, but even with leaving the town and its cameras behind, she took her time and a few detours to get to the small wooded area where the others would be waiting for them.
It was one of the fallback points they had chosen while planning their route the day before, in case they were separated. This one was an old garden or orchard that hadn’t been taken care of in a while. The fencing was overgrown and down in multiple places, and the evenly-spaced fruit trees were slowly being overtaken by underbrush and saplings. In the middle of it was a small prefabricated building covered in vines. She wasn’t sure where the others would be waiting, other than somewhere on the lot, but the old garden shack would be a good place to start looking.
She was right. Tonee opened the door, or what was left of it, as they approached. Salayla came in behind them a few moments later.
"Clear," Salayla reported. "No drones or people in sight."
That didn’t mean they weren’t watched, only that nobody was being obvious about it, and that no person or machine was within the immediate area. So, they had a little breathing space.
Tonee nodded and motioned them to the center of the room where Nitus and Leer sat. He settled into the back corner between the two windows looking out the side and back of the shed. Salayla stayed by the door, squatting eye-level with a gap overlooking the overgrown clearing in front of the shed.
"What will happen when Taylor sees the magistrate?" Tonee asked after Mica finished repeating what he’d told Kaydeen.
"His infraction will be dismissed, judged, or deferred." Salayla explained. As interpreter and cultural specialist, her train-up packet would have included local social and regulatory norms, as Kaydeen’s packet had included pertinent medical information.
"Being caught with a weapon never gets dismissed," Nitus put in.
"Even with war knocking on the door?" Tonee asked.
Nitus shrugged.
"Can’t. They don’t have the option to dismiss contraband charges," Mica explained. "That’s why the LEOs couldn’t confiscate the blade and let us go. He said that since it had been recorded on us, he would have to take us in. But he did say that it should be only a formality, considering what’s going on."
"Okay, so judged or deferred." Tonee frowned. "I’m assuming deferred means that his hearing is pushed back?"
Salayla and Nitus nodded.
"What kind of judgment can he expect?" Kaydeen asked. She knelt by the boys, watching the windows. Her distance from the wall restricted her view outside, but Tonee, who had slid into a crouch, easily covered the angles she couldn’t.
; "Don’t know." Nitus answered. "Guess that depends on his record." He shrugged.
"Mica said his ID came back clean," Tonee ventured. "So, they’re looking at a minor without a record who found a blade that he couldn’t let be although he should’ve known better." He paused as his eyes defocused.
His mind was probably picking the situation apart from the viewpoint of the LEOs. It was one of his specialties and favorite pastimes—to dissect rules and regulations and pinpoint the mindset of enforcers.
"Yeah, the blade is considered military contraband." He shrugged. "But it’s his first offense, and with the fighting going on, they don’t want to keep him in their custody and be responsible for his safety." He considered for a moment. "They could push him off to the local garrison. But, again, they think he’s a local teen. A hormonal brain-farted teen, but still one of the local kids. They’re not going to hand him over to the Traverse, not with what happened to the miner kids." He looked at Mica. "That is general knowledge, right?" He barely waited for Mica’s nod before continuing. "No, they’d want to keep him out of harm’s way, not put him closer to it." He nodded. "They’re sticklers for enforcing the law, but that’s how they protect themselves and their people. And for now, they think Taylor is one of their people." He paused to look at the others. "Let’s hope it stays that way."
"Hormonal brain-farted teen?" Nitus asked.
"That’s all you got out of my speech?" Tonee looked at him.
"Well, no," Nitus stammered, shrinking into himself.
"Don’t call us that, then." Leer rolled onto his knees, positioning himself between the two.
"Actually," Tonee turned to him, "I called Taylor that. But if you want to claim the title…" The corners of his mouth slowly lifted.