Island of the Star Lords

by James L. Ferrell

  He continued the process for another twenty minutes, unaware that the next structure in line was Kasdan's hut. While crossing an open space, he heard the sound of male voices coming from the street. He remained still for a half minute, listening, establishing their exact location. They seemed to be standing somewhere near the front of the hut he was approaching. He moved backward a few steps and flattened himself against the wall of the hut he had just passed. Moving sideways toward the street a step at a time, he reached a place where he could see the men. There were three of them, standing in a loose circle. One of them stretched his arms wide and said something unintelligible. The others laughed in low tones. As he continued watching, one of them walked away and disappeared. Childs lay down, forming himself to the ground against the thatch wall. Within a minute the missing man appeared from around the corner and continued on to the street, where he rejoined the others. He had made a full circle around the hut.

  Guards, Childs thought. This is either the house I'm looking for, or the living quarters of someone important. He continued to lie still, watching for a pattern to develop. He did not have long to wait. After five minutes the same guard made another round and returned to the street. Childs checked his watch: 12:43 a.m. Cat-like, he moved to the back of the structure, made the incision and inserted the lens. Two people were near the central fire, both women. One of them, possibly asleep, lay covered with furs, her long hair bushed out around her head. The other wore a black jumpsuit. She sat with her knees pulled up, arms folded across them, staring at the fire. Childs nodded to himself, removed the lens and went back to his hiding place at the bottom of the preceding hut.

  True to his pattern, after five minutes the same guard made another circle around the hut. As soon as he got back to his companions on the street, Childs returned and inserted his knife into the thatch. The soft material parted like paper as he sawed downward. He withdrew the knife, pried the cut apart, and stuck his head through the wall.

  "Taylor!" he said as loud as he dared.

  Alert, the woman turned her head and looked in his direction. She jumped to a squatting position and stared at the black face protruding from the wall.

  "Come here, quick!" Childs urged in a coarse whisper.

  Taylor got to her feet, looked at the sleeping girl, then rushed to the wall. She looked into the face, white eyes framed in black. "Who are you?" she asked, her voice almost inaudible.

  "U.S. Marine," Childs whispered. "I'm here to take you out."

  "What, where…?" Taylor started to ask.

  "Move back!" Childs interrupted her.

  Taylor complied, and watched spellbound as he began to pull his way into the hut. When his head and shoulders were through, she grabbed his arms and helped pull him in. When he was through, he turned and began repairing the hole. He had just completed the work when he heard the guard pass by outside. He put his ear near the thatch and listened for a few seconds. There was nothing to indicate alarm. He turned and looked at Taylor, who stood staring at him, mouth open, eyes wide in the firelight.

  "How did you know…" she started to ask.

  Childs silenced her by putting a finger to his lips. "No time now," he whispered. "Keep your voice low. Where is the man who abducted you?"

  Taylor shook her head. "I don't know. He left a couple of hours ago."

  Childs nodded. "Okay. It's good that we won't have to contend with him right now." He looked around the big room. "There are three guards out there, two on the door and one circling the hut every five minutes," he told her.

  Taylor nodded.

  Childs moved to the doorway, covered by an animal skin curtain. He stuck the camera lens between the curtain and doorjamb and put his eye to the camera. After a few seconds he withdrew it and went back to where Taylor waited. "They're all three standing just outside the door," he told her. "When the third man leaves, we'll have less than two minutes to take out the other two before he gets back. On my signal, I want you to go to the door and get one of the two stationary guards to come inside. Can you manage that?"

  Taylor smiled like the Cheshire Cat, her white teeth flashed in the low light. "I'll do my best," she said.

  They heard a noise from behind them. Both turned to see Etar sitting up, looking at them. Taylor had spent most of the night talking with the girl, learning more of her language. She went over to her, knelt, and put a finger to her lips. The girl nodded and remained still.

  Returning to Childs, she whispered, "She won't say anything. We've become friends after a fashion. We share a common dislike of John Kasdan."

  Childs smiled. "How game are you? I mean, can you take out one of the guards if necessary?"

  Taylor unzipped the top of her L-suit a few inches and pulled out the cord which Kasdan had used to bind her wrists. "I hid this after he left tonight. I was planning to use it on him when he came back," she said in a low, conspiratorial tone. "Just tell me the plan."

  Childs looked at the cord then back at Taylor. He grinned and nodded, teeth gleaming in the blackface. "I can see how you would be worth saving."

  "Thanks," she replied with a wry smile. "What do we do?"

  He held the camera up. Putting his lips to her ear he said, "The guards are standing about four feet away from the curtain with their backs to us. I'll keep an eye on them with the camera. When the one who circles the hut walks away, I'll give you a signal. Just pull the curtain partway open and get one of them to come inside. Be sure the curtain closes behind him. Try to keep his back to me. The roaming guy will be gone less than two minutes, so we have to work fast. After you get him inside, I'll handle him. As soon as he's down, get the other guy to come in. Same scenario. Okay?"

  "What about the third guard?"

  "When he sees the other two missing, he'll be sure to look in here. As soon as he sticks his head in, I'll take him out with this." He held up the big knife.

  "Okay, but is there a plan B if something goes wrong?"

  Childs patted the pistol at his side. "Only if there's no other way. But if everything works out, nobody has to die. Now get ready."

  Taylor let out a long breath to quiet her nerves and took her position at the doorway. She ruffled her dark hair and unzipped the L-suit a foot, exposing her cleavage. Childs stuck the camera tube about an inch through the crack between the curtain and doorjamb. She could hear the guards talking in low tones. In spite of the cool air inside the hut, her palms were sweaty. Time slowed to a crawl as they waited. After what seemed an eternity, Childs raised his hand, held it up for a few seconds then suddenly dropped it to set her in motion. In one swift move he slipped back and flattened himself against the wall, becoming a dark spot on the thatch.

  As Taylor pulled the curtain aside, both guards whirled to face her. She held the curtain open far enough for the closest one to get a good look at her. Childs listened as she spoke to them in an unknown language, her voice soft, inviting. He heard one of them answer then speak a few words to his companion. Taylor backed a couple of feet away from the door. Childs could see the guard's hand holding the curtain open. Taylor moved further back and turned so that she stood facing Childs. The guard stepped into the hut, letting the curtain slip back into place. He glanced at Etar, who pretended to be asleep, then reached for Taylor.

  Childs was on him in a second, his arms slipping around the man's neck in a chokehold, cutting off his ability to cry out. The barbarian was well muscled, but was at least a foot shorter than Childs. The Marine lifted him from the floor and increased the pressure on his throat. In less than ten seconds he slumped unconscious to the floor. Childs dragged him off to the other side of the fire and quickly got back into his former position against the wall.

  Taylor went back to the door and called to the other guard. The curtain was snatched away from the doorway, and the man stepped inside. Glaring into the darkness, he saw his friend lying on the ground beside Etar, who was now sitting up, looking at him.

  He glanced at Taylor and spoke sharply. "Etoy een sapeta?"
He looked around the hut as he said it, failing to see Childs. Taylor said something to him in his own language. He turned and took a step toward her, turning his back to Childs. He heard nothing as the Marine closed the distance between them and used the chokehold. The guard struggled briefly, then collapsed. He grasped him by the hair and dragged him across the floor to where the other man was lying.

  "Go stand near the door on the left side," he told Taylor. She moved as instructed.

  Childs had been mentally counting the seconds since the roaming guard had left on his round. The whole action with the two unconscious guards had taken about sixty seconds. Right on time, the other guard returned. Seeing his companions missing, he called out to them. When there was no answer he pulled the door curtain aside and looked into the hut. When he saw Taylor standing a few feet away, he poked his head inside to get a better view. He cut his eyes to the left just in time to see something big and black looming over him.

  Childs struck him on the back of the head with the butt of the heavy knife. He muttered a sharp "Wah!" and fell across the doorway. Childs dragged him the rest of the way in.

  "Let's have that cord of yours," he said to Taylor in a normal voice. "We have to tie these guys up and get out of here in a hurry. They won't be out very long." Working like the expert he was, he cut the cord into five equal pieces, three of which he and Taylor used to tie the guards' hands behind their backs. When that was done, he pulled them close to each other and tied all their hands together, back-to-back.

  Next he looked at Etar. "Tell her that we have to tie her up so she won't be accused of helping us," he told Taylor.

  Taylor spoke to the girl and stroked her cheek. With affection, she smoothed the red hair away from her face and kissed her on the forehead. Etar smiled and turned so that Childs could bind her hands behind her. When he finished, she lay down on her side and closed her eyes. Childs took a look around the big room. Spotting the huge fur that Etar had been sleeping on, he picked it up and tossed it over the heads of the three unconscious men.

  "That'll help keep their voices down when they wake up," he said. "Now, let's get out of here." They strode to the back of the hut and went out through the slit Childs had cut in the wall.

  After leaving Taylor in the custody of Etar and the guards, Kasdan left the town and headed toward the ridge. Unable to shake his anxiety about the place, he had decided to take a first-hand look. Though it was night, he was able to see by the starlight. He looked at the sky. Never in his life had he seen air so clear. The sooty heavens looked like an inverted bowl covered with sparkling frost.

  It took less than an hour to reach the summit and conduct a search. He found no sign of anyone having spent time along the top. But then he had not expected to see anything on the skyline. One of the first things that time operatives were taught was to stay off the skyline of high places. He stopped and stood looking down at the town.

  Hundreds of small fires burned along the streets outside the huts. He studied the flickering points of light for a couple of minutes, finally finding the street where his own hut was located. He took his binoculars from his coat pocket and studied the area in detail. Anyone watching the town from the ridge would be able to see all the foot traffic on the street for several hundred yards in both directions. However, an experienced watcher would take a position a little further down the slope. Accepting the fact that he could not search the entire mountainside, he sat down and remained still. If anyone was nearby, he might make a sound or move and reveal his location. He checked his watch, saw that it was 12:50 a.m. Eyes closed, he concentrated on listening. After remaining motionless for a half hour, he decided that his imagination had been overworked. There was no one here. He got up and started back to the town.

  The first contingent of Vryanian troops arrived at Moytura a few minutes past midnight. Matt was with them. He had studied the photos taken by Jake and Rael and knew that the Fir Bolg fort was less than four miles to the southeast. Against Jake's advice he had decided to enter the fort on his own and try to locate Taylor. With luck, he might be able to take a prisoner who could provide some idea as to where she was being held. He had no specific plan; he just could not bear waiting. A feeling of helplessness had plagued him ever since her abduction. He checked his pistol and made sure that it contained a full magazine. He had two more sixteen-round magazines in his pocket. He holstered the weapon and took off at a light run. He estimated that he should reach the town in less than an hour.

  In spite of the cool air, perspiration broke out on his forehead as he ran. He gave a mental plaudit to the inventor of the L-suit for keeping his body at an even temperature, thereby conserving energy. The land was mostly flat in this area, with only gentle rises that required little effort to navigate. An image of Kasdan popped into his mind. He had only met the man twice, both being in Dr. Durant's office after his initial arrival at Apache Point. He had seemed an affable person at that time, giving no indication of the evil that lurked inside his head. Thinking of him produced a gut-wrenching anger akin to hate. He fought it down, remembering Taylor. Her rescue must remain paramount in his thoughts.

  As he crossed the grassy moor, the ridge that Kriss and his men planned to occupy came into view against the starry sky. He wondered if they were already in place. He had given some thought to advising Kriss of his plan to enter the Fir Bolg town but had decided against it. The Major had his hands full, and there was no real reason to add an additional burden to his load.

  From Jake's photos he knew that the river must be just ahead. Five minutes later he arrived at its north bank and stopped. The water was only about a hundred feet wide, but he had no idea how deep it was. He took the Beretta from its holster and held it at head level. As he stepped into the water he felt a gentle slope on the sandy bottom. He waded toward the center of the stream, relieved to find that it never reached above knee-level. Reaching the other side, he broke into a run. In just under an hour he found himself on a low rise overlooking the compound. He had no way of knowing that he was less than a hundred yards from the gate that Kasdan had used to bring Taylor into the fort.

  He took out his mini-scope and scanned as much of the town as was visible from the rise. A stone wall about six feet high encircled the entire place. There were hundreds of large houses inside the wall, tightly packed along broad streets. A number of watch fires lit up the area in flickering amber. As he panned across the scene, he became aware of movement just inside the wall. He concentrated on one area and made out the form of a man's head and shoulders. There was little doubt that it was a guard standing watch. As he looked, he picked out more guards stationed at hundred-foot intervals inside the wall. There seemed to be no pickets stationed outside, a good indication that they were not expecting trouble.

  He got to his knees and dug into the soft dirt with his utility knife. Though not visible in the dark, he knew that the soil texture was rich and black. Scooping up a double-handful, he rubbed it onto his face and neck. The dirt, coupled with the black L-suit, would provide ample protection against all but the closest encounters with the occupants of the fort. Taking advantage of the darkness, he rose and walked bent over toward a point located between guard stations. When he was close, he dropped and belly-crawled the last hundred feet to the bottom of the wall. He turned into a sitting position, leaned against the stones and froze.

  A dark form was walking toward the wall less than two hundred feet away from him.

  Chapter 26

  The Price of Rescue

  Matt watched the shadowy figure disappear around the curvature of the barricade. After a few seconds he heard some muted conversation in Fir Bolg that sounded like open the gate. He stood up and peered over the wall. His six-foot frame allowed him just enough height to see inside the fort if he stood on tiptoe. A hundred feet to his right was a gate. He watched as the guard opened it and allowed the mysterious figure to enter. Matt sucked in a breath as recognition dawned on him. The figure was huge, at least a foot taller than t
he guard. Kasdan! The two figures stood talking, the gate wide open. He could not let this opportunity to confront Kasdan pass.

  As he placed his hands on top of the wall to climb over it, an inner voice reminded him of the guards. If he tried to scale it at this spot, he could be seen from both ends of their hundred-foot spacing. Only one option remained. He drew his pistol and moved along the enclosure toward the gate. He arrived just as it swung shut. He could hear the guard inside occupied with replacing the latching bar. While he was busy, Matt took a chance and slipped across to the hinged side. As he looked over the stone barrier, he saw Kasdan walking down the wide street. Unable to enter at the gate, he ran another fifty feet to his right and pulled himself over into the fort. It was almost at the same point where Childs had entered just over an hour earlier.

  It was dark behind the thatched structures, but the starlight was enough to see by. He could not risk losing Kasdan, so he threw caution to the wind and started off at a full run parallel to the street. As he passed the open spaces between the huts he looked toward the street, hoping to catch sight of him. He had not gone over a hundred yards when something invisible knocked him sprawling to the ground.