The golden hills had been scorched dry by the long hot summer, the golden flowers of spring, long gone. There was still some snow on the higher peaks, but the main colour was a mix between the red sandstone rocks, the sun scorched yellow grasses and the green leaves of the golden trees, named after their spring blossom.
Tyler had never been one for trekking and Masters certainly wasn`t. If it hadn`t been for the lighter mass of the planet they could never had endured the pace that the natives set. As it was both of them were feeling the strain of the march, there newly discovered muscles aching all the more for being neglected in the past. At least there was a light breeze to cool them, and plenty of fresh water from the mountain springs to quench their thirst. Caroline had initially walked beside her brother, whose ankle was feeling much better, but then she dropped back to walk beside Tyler.
“Your world sounds very different to ours, Tyler.” Caroline said. “Which one do you prefer, this one with space to live in, or your one which sounds very crowded?”
Tyler looked across at the young Neolithic princess, as he liked to think of her.
“Yes at times my world is very crowded, but then I am used to city life and the throngs of people that live within it.” Tyler said thoughtlessly, then seeing a hint of disappointment appear on Caroline`s face added as casually as he could. “But your planet is beginning to grow on me the longer that I am here, and I think that I am beginning to prefer it to my own world.”
Masters who was just behind them said in the haughty manner he sometimes used.
“Well I would most certainly like to be back in my world, even with all of its faults. At least one doesn`t get chased up trees by ferocious bears, or have to dodge homicidal aliens.” He complained.
“There are plenty of homicidal people back on Earth, at least here you can tell them apart from the rest of the population.” Tyler stated, trying to soften Masters` ill thought outburst.
“We must be quiet here Appolon, for the people of the underworld don`t like people coming near to their domain.” Tocra said.
It was at least an hour later when Masters began to really feel the pace of their hurried journey; even Appolon was in need of a break to rest his sore ankle.
“It is just superstitious twaddle, this talk of the people of the underworld.” Masters whispered to Tyler.
“Look here Appolon, can`t we rest for a while, for my legs are just about giving out on me.” Masters complained a little louder.
“It is not safe here earthman.” Tocra warned. “We are right in the middle of their land.”
“Whose land Tocra?” Masters demanded angrily.
“The people of the underworld, as I told you, they don`t like strangers moving about their land.”
“What do you mean, people of the underworld, do you mean ghosts, spirits and such twaddle?” Masters demanded haughtily.
“No they are as real as you are, they are called the people of the underworld because they live mostly in the caves and tunnels that run beneath much of this part of the mountains. They come up only to hunt, to gather food or to take the unwary down below for their pots.”
“Good god do you mean they are Cannibals?” Masters screamed.
“Quiet earthman or they will come and take us down for their banquet.”
A hush fell over the group, to be broken by Parsons who joined in the conversation.
“Yes the church has been meaning to stop their evil ways, but finding them is very hard, and anyway we really don`t have enough soldiers here on Orion to be able to do something about them.”
“Well couldn`t the native warriors supply the help you need?” Masters questioned. Appolon finally agreed to enter a conversation that bored him.
“The people of the underworld leave all alone except for intruders, so we leave them alone.”
“Unfortunately today we are the intruders.” Masters stated angrily, for it seemed criminal to him to allow such people to roam around, free.
**********
Divilio was on his new flagship Vega, around him his security officers were attempting to explain how a small group of primitives had managed to free his prisoners. Divilio wasn`t too bothered by the event; anyway he would enjoy teaching his security team a lesson, one that would stop them from failing him again. He had lost no more men or weapons during the episode, and the prisoners had been of no further use to him.
“Send out some more patrols with orders to kill any of those responsible for this insult to my command.” He ordered, but just then the minor problem of the escaped prisoners was dashed from Divilio`s mind.
“Generalissimo a ship has just exited hyperspace and is now in orbit about this overgrown asteroid.” Rada exclaimed, interrupting the discussion about the quality of Heliot security men. “The President of Earth is on it and he is sending a message down to the military commander in New Eden.”
“Have they seen us Rada?” Divilio asked.
“No my Generalissimo, but unless they were actively searching for us they wouldn`t have done so. The mountain chain has a high mineral content which for the moment is shielding us from their ship. But the four troop transporters should turn on their cloaking devices to ensure that they don`t do so, should they actively search the area around here, they might also help shield our broken cruisers.”
“Ok, order the commanders of the four transporters to switch on their cloaking devices, oh and also tell them not to send any more drone aircraft out, they may give our presence away to the Earth vessel.” Divilio ordered.
Aswan and Trajo had both reported back that morning after working through most of the night. Trajo`s results were correct, they were fifty thousand years in the future and they were on the far side of the galaxy. Divilio thoughts were now on the Time Machine in New Eden and nothing else, he would get it if he had to kill everyone on this miserable excuse for a planet.
**********
In the town of New Eden, Jameson, having no idea what was happening on and around Orion, was arguing with Colonel Bragg in the temple building. The argument of course was about restarting the Time experiments, for like most successful men he only had thoughts for his experiment and nothing else.
“There is no possible reason now that the androids have been defeated, that we shouldn`t restart the experiments.”
“I am sorry Professor Jameson but I only have thirteen marines left to guard the whole complex and five of them have been wounded. We don`t know that there aren`t more androids in orbit around this planet, and for all we know they might be about to launch another assault upon us. Therefore, no Professor Jameson, you cannot begin your experiments again. In fact I think it would be wiser to decommission it until we get some more marines from Earth.”
“And how long will that take do you suppose, before you receive your extra marines.” Jameson shouted at Colonel Bragg.
“Not too long, I have already sent off a request for substantial reinforcements.”
Bishop John Sinclair had been a quiet but impatient observer of the heated exchange, but he now came in on Bragg`s side.
“Richard, I think that Colonel Bragg is correct, I also think that you should go over all your equipment and maybe put in some safeguards. Ensure that you can stop the catastrophic events that occurred out there in space from ever happening again, everyone in New Eden could so easily have died.” He stated angrily.
Sinclair hadn`t realised just how much the past events had affected him, obviously, he thought, the stress caused by the worry of another Altera had been weighing on his mind more than he had realised. Then, with the android attack, and the violent space storm that had come after it, coupled to the deaths of so many young men, it had all added up to his present mood, that of the utmost anger at everyone and everything around him.
Then one of the scientists, Brian Goddard, added his thoughts on the matter.
“Richard, I tend to agree with the Colonel and Bishop Sinclair, maybe we should take the time to fit a power limiter to the Time Platfor
m. We still don`t know just what the Platform dragged back with it, and until we do, well I for one would prefer waiting before we re-started our work.” Brian Goddard had been deeply shocked when the rocks and other space debris had come crashing out of the sky to only narrowly miss New Eden and the science complex, he now turned to Colonel Bragg.
“When the relief ship turns up we will need a full scan of the land mass of Orion, to check that none of the outlying villages were hit by any of the rocks brought back by the Time Platform.” He for one would hate to think that this experiment had caused the death of anyone on Orion.
Behind Brian Goddard the rest of the science team nodded in agreement, and Bragg agreed with this request. Bragg wanted a full security scan in any case to check if there were any more androids lurking about, so he had no problem in assuring the scientists that this would be done.
Jameson turned away in disgust and stamped away back towards the Time room, muttering something that made the other scientists feel guilty that they had not supported him. Tracy Goddard took hold of her husband`s arm.
“Don`t worry about Richard, Brian, when he finally gives himself time to think things over he will agree with you about adding safeguards to the Platform, rather than risk another near total disaster.”
Bragg had stationed the injured Lieutenant Parnell along with one of his remaining marines at the fusion reactor building to keep an eye on things there. The recovering Canadian, John Cassidy, was barricaded behind the entrance to the Laboratory with another marine and Cassidy was told to rest up as much as possible while his partner did all the leg work. Troopers Ryan and the injured Peterson were stationed in the temple with Peterson receiving similar instructions to those that Cassidy had been given. The remaining seven marines, of which two more were also suffering from Phaser shots, were ordered to rest up, for they would be on duty during the Orion night.
It was at this moment that Colonel Bragg got a second call on his radio; the call was from the President`s starship in orbit above Orion. Bragg got his first call from the President`s ship the evening before when the Revenge went into orbit above Orion, but Bragg had been ordered to keep that call a secret. John Sinclair who had been just about to leave and get back to work listened to Bragg, as the Colonel spoke to the Captain of the space cruiser above their heads. He was delighted and a little astonished to hear that the relief ship was already in orbit just above New Eden.
“The President of Earth will be landing in a shuttle in one hours` time, along with his team of advisers to see what help he can provide, John. It seems he was on a surprise visit to us when my call for help was received.” Colonel Bragg reported.
“But that is great Charles, I had been thinking of cancelling the celebrations, but now they can go ahead, and with a special guest in attendance.” Bishop Sinclair exclaimed excitedly.
“Yes John, and his ship will stop over until the extra marines from Earth get here. With a space cruiser in orbit no one would dare to attack us.”
**********
Divilio had sent out six patrols in search of Tyler and his band, but as he could not deploy his drone aircraft without giving his position away to the space cruiser orbiting overhead, he didn`t get any results from the searchers. On his own turf this wouldn`t have mattered, but as he was playing away it did. His troopers scoured the valley between the ships and New Eden, but of course found no trace of Tyler`s party, for Tyler and his band of men were on their journey to New Eden by way of the small animal trails high up in the foothills of the mountain where only Divilio`s drones could have found him. Divilio knew that it would take the primitives of Orion, as he thought of Tyler and his friends, at least the best part of two days to reach the outskirts of the small town of New Eden, if they were even heading that way. If they got that far they would find his troopers waiting. They had been sent out in two armoured personnel carriers with orders to patrol the land between the mountains and the town, and to kill anybody they saw. Should the primitives still get through then that would signal the launch of his fleet. His fleet would be moving during the morning of the second day anyway, he would commence his surprise attack against the large space cruiser and then crush the small town. He would then inform his wavering command about the Time Machine and use the scientists of Earth to make it work.
**********
From high up in the hills Tyler and his friends watched as the two Heliot vehicles travelled along the dusty track that meandered along the valley below them. That they belonged to the aliens was obvious, as they could clearly see who was driving the two vehicles.
“Well there are surely not enough of them to be used as an invasion force against New Eden, so they must be out looking for us Tyler.” Masters volunteered.
“Probably sent out to stop news of their arrival getting through to the town, the speed their moving means that searching for us is not their first priority.” Tyler replied.
“If they do intend to try and take control of New Eden then they will find it rather difficult when they meet up with the Space Marines there, for I wouldn`t want to go up against them.” John Parsons said. Parsons of course didn`t know that there were only a few marines still left alive in New Eden.
“With the weapons that the aliens possess, your space marines had better be well equipped, never mind the fact that they will probably be vastly outnumbered.” Tyler said contradicting John Parsons. His words had the effect of further dampening their spirits.
Down in the valley below them, Tyler and his friends saw a small group of natives appear from around a bend some fifty yards in front of the Heliot vehicles, the group of natives froze when they saw the strangers ahead of them. The natives instinct was to run which they did, the Heliots shouted to them in the troopers own language, ordering them to stop, but as no one on Orion apart from the Heliots spoke their language, the natives continued to run. The troopers were not about to let a second batch of ‘primitives’ escape them quite so easily, so the troopers gave chase. The natives didn`t stand a chance, for as soon as the troopers got within firing range they opened fire with the vehicles weapons, the resulting carnage was terrible to see and to hear. The energy bolts high pitched whistling mixed in with the screams of the natives was too much for Tyler and the others. Caroline couldn`t believe her eyes; never did she ever think to see such evil actions carried out on Orion.
“Why did they kill them, that was Tolono`s band, they never hurt anyone.” This time she couldn`t control her tears, this time she wept for her dead friends.
“They are without mercy.” Masters agreed.
“Maybe we can bring them justice when we get to New Eden.” Tyler said, although privately he thought that the authorities would have trouble dealing with so many well equipped soldiers.
The sun hadn`t made much of an appearance that day, but now it disappeared completely behind a large dark cloud, almost as if it were out of respect for the murdered people below.
“Come our journey just got more urgent.” Appolon stated. Then motioning to Tocra he started the group of friends moving once again, but with a quickening of the pace.
But it was only for a few minutes as Tocra suddenly came to a stop and seemingly sniffed the air before moving off once more, but he was moving very slowly now, and as they worked their way along a narrow trail his eyes, and those of the other warriors were constantly scanning the rocks about them. Then, from out of nowhere an arrow flew towards them to pierce the heart of Tocra, he fell to the ground with a sickening thud. Yells filled the air around them, and a dozen pale skinned natives seemed to pop out of the ground. More arrows followed but the trap had been sprung too early by one of their attackers, for the rest of his band of warriors were not yet ready, Tyler and his friends were able to take evasive action, the arrows noisily clattering amongst the rocks about them. Appolon quickly strung an arrow to his bow and unleashed it with devastating effect, taking out the nearest of their attackers. Tryon, Argo and Cimon were only moments behind him as they too unleashed their
arrows. Then an arrow from Caroline took out a native who was lining up his arrow on Tyler`s back. Tyler himself was slower than the others were, for he could hardly believe his eyes, but the sight of Tocra slain without a chance of saving himself, and the other arrows soaring towards his friends soon brought about his own response. He too unleashed his arrow as volley after volley left the bows of the band of friends to land amongst the ranks of the ungodly, as Tyler liked to think of them. Caroline`s blood was up, for she had seen too many of her friends die within the last few days. Taking off her backpack and throwing aside her bow she chased in amongst their attackers, letting out blood curdling whoops and yells that must have turned their attacker`s blood cold. Tyler had no time to watch her as he continued the attack, and soon he and his friends ran out of targets.
“We certainly avenged our friend Tocra.” Tryon cried. “Those beasts of the underworld will think twice before they attack people from our village again.” Tryon then let out blood curdling cry of victory which was taken up by the other warriors, and tradition was satisfied.
“Yes.” Appolon cried. “They paid a heavy price for their treacherous attack, but see Tryon, Cimon and Argo have been hit as well.” Unfortunately it was so, for Cimon had an arrow sticking out of his shoulder and Argo had one in his thigh.
“Don`t worry about us, Appolon; we can make it back to the village of the golden hills, where they will help us.” Cimon said with a hint of a grimace as the pain of his wound began to grow. “And to think that I had welcomed the cool breezes of today, for I thought that they would aid us on our long trek, but I had forgotten about the sort of creatures that prefer the shadows.” His friends agreed with him that maybe they should have been more watchful.
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