by M J Dees
Sevan struggled to look below and when he did, he wished he hadn’t. On the forest floor were a pack of four-legged creatures snarling up at him, some of them were trying to scale the trunk of the tree but only shredded the bark. He wasn’t sure which he preferred, being eaten by a pack of wild animals, burnt to death in a forest fire or if he was lucky and avoided both these fates, he might just starve to death while dangling from a tree.
The seat jolted. The animals below growled. Sevan looked up into the tree branches. It appeared the tree’s hold on the seat straps was not as secure as he had first imagined. He tried to stay as still as he could but the seat swayed and twisted, worrying the strap on the coarse branch above. Below him the animals waited.
At least the fire from the shuttle was not heading his way. He hoped the wind did not change direction. Above the sound of the distant battle, he could hear shouting which seemed to be coming from much nearer. The shouting didn’t seem to bother the animals below who, on the contrary, let out yelps of excitement when the strap slipped and Sevan’s seat fell a few more feet towards their drooling mouths.
Sevan struggled in his straps but rather than making any progress towards freeing himself, he caused the seat to fall even further. He sat still, not wanting to dislodge the seat any further. The animals were leaping into the air, trying to snatch at him and he sensed they were close.
The seat continued to twist, first one way and then the other. Then the strap slipped on the chair itself and, rather than causing the seat to fall any further, it tipped it the other way up so that Sevan was dangling upside down, staring down at the hungry beasts who were leaping so close that he could feel their rancid breath on his face.
Sevan heard the shouting once more and this time it seemed closer. He shouted for help but his calls just seemed to incense the ravenous beasts even more. One of them got so close to Sevan that it splattered him with its foul smelling saliva.
When he heard the shouting once more, he renewed his calls for help. He sensed the strap slipping from the chair and thought he could hear the strap tearing in the branches above. Sevan screamed with all of his might. The beasts were frothing at the mouth with anticipation.
There was a loud ripping noise and Sevan’s seat, with him fastened within, fell, crushing one beast but the others turned on him. Sevan closed his eyes and screamed. He felt a rush of pain as the teeth of one animal pierced his flesh.
Sevan fainted.
CHAPTER 12: SHOCK UPON SHOCK
When he awoke, Sevan appeared to be lying on an earth floor covered in dry grass in a stone cell with a solid wooden door through which the only cracks of light entered.
He felt the pain in his leg and plucked up the courage to look. Somebody had dressed his wound, though he could see his blood beginning to seep through the dressing. He pulled himself up to a sitting position and rested himself against the damp wall. Through the door he could hear shuffling and voices.
The door opened and an Alliance guard entered.
“Yes, he is awake,” the guard shouted outside before turning back to Sevan. “You are one of Man’s army.”
“No, I am not,” Sevan protested.
“You destroyed a shuttle and killed everyone on board.”
“I didn’t. They tied me to a seat.
“They were my friends.”
“I’m sorry about that. I am. But I had nothing to do with it, believe me.”
“You will tell us everything you know about Man’s forces, their location and plans.”
“But I know nothing.”
“You are one of President Man’s inner circle. You entered this system with him on the same ship and you escaped with him to the surface of this planet in the same pod.”
“No. Man wasn’t on the ship. I came to this planet alone. I am all alone.”
“If you will not give us the information, then we shall have to extract the information by force.”
“No, please. You cannot extract the information by force, because it is not there.”
“I will be back.”
The guard left the cell and locked the door behind him.
Once again, Sevan was alone, contemplating his predicament. He might not have been devoured by a forest fire or wild beast and he might not have been left to starve to death but he was now facing a potential fate, which was worse than death. At least being burned alive or being eaten by beasts was a quick way to go. Now he was facing the prospect of having pain inflicted on him by people whose profession it was to ensure their victims felt the pain. What was worse was that he was powerless to stop it. He did not have information to give and even if he made it all up, he was sure they would see through his lies.
Sevan hoped it would be quick, that they would soon end his pain. He had nothing to live for anymore, no purpose, no home, and no friends. All the anxiety he used to suffer back on the Concession seemed so pointless now. The bullying he used to receive from his colleagues, the endless nights worrying about his missed targets. None of it mattered anymore, none of it ever mattered, now that he had experienced what he had. Losing Ay-ttho, almost losing his own life. He would still lose his own life if the guard’s threats were believed. And why? So that those who bullied him could have a better life? So that President Man gets to boss people around rather than Barnes, or whoever it was who was behind the Alliance.
None of it bothered Sevan, and he didn't see why any of it should have ended the lives of the creatures who had tried to help him escape. None of it worried him anymore, he was only worried about how painful the torture might be and how long it might last. But given that there was nothing that Sevan could do about his imminent torture, he decided not to worry about that either. He just sat, in the moment, and contemplated the fact that, at that moment he was alive.
He decided that, if by some miracle he managed to escape from his current predicament he would not worry about anything anymore. If he had a problem in his life and there was something to do about it, he wouldn’t worry, he would just do something about it. And if there was nothing he could do about it, then he wouldn't worry because there was nothing he could do about it. His current situation fell into the second category.
The door opened, it was the guard again, holding a stick, and this time he had brought friends, two other guards, one of whom carried a crude wooden chair which they must have pilfered from one of the nearby dwellings which hadn’t yet burned to the ground.
They set the chair in the middle of the cell and set Sevan on it, tying his arms behind him and his legs to the legs of the chair.
“Are you ready to talk yet?”
“Like I told you, I know nothing so there’s nothing I can tell you.”
Sevan was much calmer , and this was reflected in the relaxed tone of his voice.
“It’s going to be like that is it?” the guard took the stick and pushed it into the wound on Sevan’s leg where the beast had bitten him.
Sevan screamed in pain, but it was a pain he could handle. He took some deep breaths.
“Let’s try again,” said the guard, enjoying his work too much. “Tell us everything you know about the republic forces and the President’s plans.”
“All I know about the Republic is that you guys are having one ding dong of a battle with them out there. All I know about the President is that he smells and that he wasn’t on the ship with us. He was just using us to lure you into what he called his ambush.”
The guard felt this merited another push on the wound with his stick and this time he gave it a little twist for good measure. Sevan screamed again and, as he did, the guard seemed to come up with an idea which pleased him very much.
“Be right back,” he said. “I just have to pop to the shuttle for something.”
The other guards nodded, and he left the room.
Sevan’s wound was very sore. He hoped that the guard might get bored with the torture but his hopes were dashed when the guards returned with a small device attached to cables.
“I just remembered the back-up power module. I thought we could have some fun with it,” he laughed as he attached the cables to Sevan’s antennae. “Now, where were we? Ah yes. Tell me everything you know.”
“Everything I know?” Sevan sighed. “I was born, or created, as slave labour for a Corporation concession on the edge of a system that feels a long way away. Everything I once held as true is false. The Giant Cup in the sky is just a big grey ball. The President smells, the corporation sucks and as far as I know the republic does too. One by one, the only things I cared about have been taken away and I know that I don’t like you.”
Sevan’s whole body jerked and twitched as the guard activated the current. When he turned it off, Sevan fell limp. He felt as though the guard had frazzled his marbles. The room swam in front of him.
“Tell me what you know,” the guard repeated.
“What do you want me to say?” Sevan was willing to say whatever the guard wanted.
“Give me the details.”
“I don’t have any details.”
Another shock sent Sevan’s body into spasms and for a moment after he turned the current off, Sevan couldn’t remember who or where he was. As his memory returned, he thought he preferred that brief period of ignorance.
“Tell me what you know!” the guard was becoming impatient.
“The Republic has seven frigates...”
Another shock sent Sevan into spasms so fierce his body went rigid. When the current ceased, Sevan fell limp once more and this time he did not sit up. He remained motionless.
“Have you killed him?” one guard asked.
“I don’t think so,” said the torturer. “Look there. He’s smiling.”
The third guard examined Sevan’s features. He was smiling.
“More fushy juice, please!” Sevan demanded, making all three guards jump.
“I think he’s lost his marbles,” said the third guard.
“You’ve sent him over the edge,” said the second.
“Let’s just kill him,” said the first.
Sevan laughed out loud.
“This fireplace is very cosy Councillor.”
“I’ll get something from the shuttle,” the first guard was disappointed his interrogation hadn’t gone to plan.
“Don’t bother. I have a sidearm,” said the second as he offered his weapon to the first.
“Take the cables off first, I don’t want to get his blood all over the power unit.”
The second guard began to remove the cables from Sevan’s antennae.
“My antennae are very itchy,” said Sevan. “Councillor, would you mind giving them a little scratch.”
“They won’t be itchy in a moment,” said the first guard.
“Then I suppose I shall just have to itch them myself,” Sevan said looking at the second guard who was holding the cables in one hand.
Sevan tipped his chair over and as he fell, used one of his antennae to switch on the power module. The second guard went rigid with shock, kicking the first guard so hard that the side arm dropped from his grip. Metal on the two guards’ uniforms connected, conducting the current so that both went rigid with the spasms. Seven rolled over and grabbing the side arm with his hands still tied behind his back, he fired at the third guard who was watching the scene in an astonished stupor.
The blast hit the third guard in the midriff with a force so powerful that it sent him tumbling backwards through the stone wall bringing the roof tumbling down. The rafters fell on Sevan and the two guards who, still locked in spasms, were smoking.
Sevan tried to roll himself from under the rafter resting on top of him. Being still bound to the chair made it difficult, but he managed and then tried to roll towards the gap in the walls. The two guards had now ignited, and the fire was spreading to the wooden rafters. For the second time that day, Sevan was in danger of being burned alive and would be if he couldn’t find a means of escape.
The chair was preventing him from standing and despite his struggles, he could not free his hands. He resorted to trying to roll through the gap in the wall created by the guard he had blasted but the chair kept snagging on some stones. He could feel the heat from the fire but he kept rolling backwards and forwards changing his position until he rolled out through the gap.
Sevan lay amongst the rubble alongside the dead guard. By rubbing his bindings against a lump of rubble, Sevan could free his hands and then untie his legs. He freed himself and got away from the burning structure just before it collapsed.
He knew the shuttle must be nearby, perhaps if he could steal the shuttle, he might find his way back to the Mastery of the Stars and then Ron might get him back to the Concession where he would quite happily to do his old job without worrying or complaining.
Sevan spotted the shuttle in a clearing through the trees. He was halfway there when he heard a noise in the forest and froze. Standing as still as he could he tried to make out the figures moving through the forest towards him. He cursed himself for not having kept the side arm which would, by now, have been incinerated in the flames.
Trying not to be spotted, he hid behind a tree but then he thought he may have lost his marbles as the two figures came into view. Alongside, what looked like a Republic infantry soldier walked a familiar figure whom Sevan could swear was Ay-ttho. He stepped from behind the tree and they turned towards him, pointing their weapons.
“Ay-ttho? Is that you?” Sevan couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing.
“Sevan! Thank the Giant Cup you’re okay. Come with us. We have a plan to beat the Alliance.”
Sevan didn’t ask questions, he just followed.
CHAPTER 13: ALLIANCE DEFEAT
Ay-ttho led Sevan to the Alliance shuttle. They all climbed on board and shut the doors.
“Aren’t you going to introduce us?” Sevan asked Ay-ttho, nodding towards the Republic soldier as he strapped himself into the cockpit.
“Oh, sorry. This is Tori, he’s with the republic. He will help us hack into the Alliance’s system.”
Sevan wasn’t sure why but he felt a pang of jealousy seeing this big soldier next to Ay-ttho and he tried to think about something else.
“I thought you were dead,” he said. “Your escape pod exploded.”
“The first pod I tried to get into shorted and launched rather than opening the door. Just as well I wasn’t inside, the alliance destroyed it with a missile. I got into another pod just as the ship exploded. I think the debris hid me from the alliance and I could land the pod close to the Republic ground forces.”
Ay-ttho piloted the shuttle off the ground and headed for the Alliance armada in orbit around the planet. Republic ground to air missiles whizzed past.
“We are being shot at by our own side,” Sevan complained.
“Don’t worry,” said Tori. “They know we are on the shuttle. If they wanted to hit us, they would. They are missing us on purpose so that the Alliance thinks we are a genuine Alliance crew.”
Sevan hoped the Republic artillery was as accurate as Tori seemed to think and that they didn't miss where they were aiming for and hit the shuttle.
“Where are we going? What are we going to do?” Sevan could feel the anxiety beginning to rise within him.
“The idea is to use the shuttle to get access to the Alliance command ship,” said Ay-ttho. “Once inside, Tori should be able to access the Alliance system; we think by hacking into their network, he might disable their weapons capability.”
“Should? And if he doesn’t?” Sevan was wondering whether he might not have been better off staying on the forested planet.
“If he doesn’t then we must escape from an armed command ship and return to the Republic forces and hope that they won’t be defeated.”
Her answer did nothing to bolster Sevan’s confidence. Through the observation windows, he could see the command ship looming larger as they approached.
“You know, we could make use of this little guy,” said Tori.
Sevan was not happy at being called a little guy.
“How so?” Ay-ttho asked.
“We could use him as a decoy to distract them from my work on their system.”
Sevan didn’t like the sound of being a decoy, it suggested the possibility that he might attract the attention of the Alliance.
“I’m not sure,” he said. “I wouldn’t want to jeopardise your mission.”
“You wouldn't,” said Tori. “You could be the distraction we need.”
“Come on Sevan,” said Ay-ttho. “This is our best chance of defeating the Alliance and getting back to the Concession and that pish you like.”
Sevan cursed Ay-ttho. She knew where his weaknesses lay. He thought back to his recent experiences on this forested planet and the promises he had made himself that he would never worry about anything again and yet here he was, feeling anxious in the very next situation he found himself in.
“Okay, I’ll do it,” said Sevan. “Just tell me what you need.”
Ay-ttho smiled.
“Don’t forget,” she said. “It’s not just about your pish, Sevan. If we defeat the Alliance, it’s possible that we can stop the Corporation from liquidating, not just the concession, but the entire planet. There are many lives depending on our actions, Sevan.”
“Thanks,” said Sevan. “Nothing like a bit of pressure.”
The command ship now loomed large ahead of them and Ay-ttho steered the shuttle towards the hangar entrance. As they approached, Alliance shuttles passed them, heading for the planet’s surface.
Sevan prayed to the Giant Cup that their progress not be impeded. Although he now knew the Giant Cup was just a giant ball, Sevan thought his prayers must have done some good, because they entered the hangar without hindrance.